


Book 5: Family

by JessicaX



Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra
Genre: Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, Avatar State, Bisexual Character, Bisexual Character of Color, Bisexual Female Character, Bisexual Female Character of Color, Biting, Canon Bisexual Character, Canon Lesbian Relationship, Childbirth, Cunnilingus, Doggy Style, F/F, Fellatio, Forest Sex, Korrasami is Canon, Lactation Kink, Lesbian Sex, Magic Cock, Mildly Dubious Consent, Mile High Club, Oral Sex, Possession, Post-Avatar: The Legend of Korra, Pregnancy, Pregnant Sex, Scratching, Spirit Animals, Spirit World, Unplanned Pregnancy, Vaginal Fingering
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-20
Updated: 2016-08-01
Packaged: 2018-05-07 20:26:22
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 15
Words: 100,299
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5469815
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JessicaX/pseuds/JessicaX
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The creative team behind "My Sister's Mistress" (no wait don't run away) returns! Beginning their journey into the Spirit World, Asami and Korra find their relationship changing even faster than it already has. This story takes them through exploring each other's hearts and bodies, dealing with a much-changed Republic City, and seeing their lives transform. (Korrasami SCHMUT)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Legend of Korra and related characters and settings are © their owners. Story and plot are ©2015 by Cartesian and Jessica. No flying bison were harmed in the making of this fanfiction.
> 
> WARNING: Extremely NSFW in multiple chapters, for sexual situations, coarse language, violence, dubious consent, and other crazy stuff. PLEASE watch the beginning of every chapter for more in-depth warnings about the content! If any of the kinks listed hold the possibility of triggering you, please DO NOT READ THIS FIC. If you disregard this warning, you do so at your own risk. Also, no kink-shaming and no mindless flaming. If your criticism of the fic only has to do with the kinks involved, keep it to yourself and go find something else to read.
> 
> Important note, however: please don't misconstrue all sexual acts in this fic as ones that Cartesian and/or myself actually participate in, have ever tried, or condone in reality. Most of them are all well and good, but there are a few of these that are simply not a good idea to try. PLEASE do your own research before attempting anything in this story with your own sexual partners! Be safe above all else!
> 
> CHAPTER WARNINGS: Just fluffy kisses. For now.
> 
> AUTHOR NOTES: Hey, it's us again! The two weirdos that brought you "My Sister's Mistress"! This was actually roleplayed a few months ago, but extenuating circumstances (especially a need for TONS of editing) prevented us from cleaning it up and presenting it to you sooner than now. However, given that today is the Korrasami anniversary, it seems prudent that I finish up chapter one and get it out to those of you who might enjoy it!
> 
> For those of you wondering about setting, it picks up right from the LoK series finale...

Thunderstruck. That's how Korra felt when the illustrious Asami Sato agreed to go on a private vacation with her, and yet more surprised when she requested the Spirit World be their destination. Korra had expected her to request a more high-profile locale, like Ember Island. But the Spirit World was at least one place where the Avatar could be sure to impress Asami, to show her something new and wonderful she hadn't ever seen before.

It didn't take them long to prepare for their getaway, eager as they both were to escape all the stress and trouble and painful memories they wanted to leave behind. Asami notified her secretary of their absence, and they both packed bags. Korra wasn't entirely sure what to bring with her to the Spirit World, but she settled on some clothes, a comb and some soap and the like, and a few snacks to sustain them until they found food there, as well as a blanket roll.

After that, the new Spirit Portal was just a few minutes' drive from the Sato Mansion, with a few shortcuts around wreckage and vines. Kuvira had done a number on Republic City, and Korra felt a little bad for cutting and running when there was such a mess to be cleaned up. But stopping Kuvira and her giant metal monster, the Avatar thought, had been enough. She deserved a break — no, she needed one — and the opportunity to be truly alone with the woman who had become her best friend over the past few years made her feel a little more cavalier about her "responsibilities." She'd been waiting far too long to find the perfect moment with the dark-haired beauty she'd admired for so long. Perhaps the solitude of the Spirit World would be exactly the right place, and time, for Korra to confess her intentions…

When they reached the Spirit Portal, they parked the car at the edge of the deep crater and went down into the sea of vines on foot. The sun was still an hour or two below the horizon, and the warm light of the Portal illumined the space around them like an earthbound moon. They both stopped just a few feet short of the light itself. Korra looked to her left and saw Asami gazing up in awe, hair and eyes shining like stars in its glow. Slowly the Avatar reached out, and after a moment's hesitation, took Asami's hand and smiled.

"Don't be afraid. It'll feel weird, but you'll be fine. I promise."

"Hey, I trust you." The fingers squeezed back. It was no idle comment. The energy surging through her friend, the Avatar who had brought balance to more than one world, was flowing into herself, as well. "But I still can't get over this being you. I don't think I ever will, you're so... so incredible."

Korra gulped audibly at Asami's words. Incredible! Well, she'd take that anyday! She grinned like an idiot and blushed as that beautiful face smiled at her and her fingers squeezed back. "Yeah, um… I'm still getting used to it too, to be honest. But it is incredible! I really think you'll like the Spirit World."

Hoping she was right, and that the Spirit World would look like it did when she landed there with Kuvira, the Avatar stepped forward with Asami by her side. Slowly, moving together, they stepped into the warm light. Korra heard the soft gasp beside her as they were both enveloped in its glow and their bodies seemed to soar in place.

"I'm right here," whispered Korra. She immediately regretted those words, it felt like a dumb thing to say; but Asami smiled at her, so she turned and joined both their hands.

In seconds, the soaring stopped, and Korra felt the earth beneath their feet again. She stepped forward, guiding Asami alongside her, and they moved through the brightness again into the Spirit World. It was like Korra remembered, and yet more beautiful, for the Spirits had moved into the new space and the world had bloomed as a result. The twisted trees, once bare and lifeless, had grown green leaves and white blossoms. Green grass surrounded the purple thistles around their feet, and little, skybourne Spirits floated all around them.

"Yeah, I'll probably never get used to this!" Korra laughed with overwhelmed wonder. She put her arm around Asami's shoulder and beamed with pride. "What do you think? Pretty cool, right?"

"I..." But the words died on her lips. Whatever they were going to be, she already knew they would be inadequate to give voice to the lush surreality. How could such a place exist just on the other side of their own universe?

At long last, Asami rediscovered speech as she reached up to place her hand atop Korra's. "Are... you sure I'm allowed to be in this place? I mean, for more than just a few minutes?"

Korra's smile drooped away when Asami expressed misgivings. "Huh? Oh, definitely!" the Avatar assured her confidently. "The Spirits around Republic City like me. And… you're with me! This is one place I can get you into." She winked and patted her shoulder. "Don't worry, I won't let anything bad happen."

It briefly occurred to Korra that her previous statement might be a promise she couldn't keep, but she was confident in her ability to Bend the will of Spirits when she needed to. And, if anything went profoundly wrong, Korra still had the rest of her Bending, as well. She couldn't imagine anything happening that she couldn't handle.

As if the Spirits knew her heart and wanted to give her a headstart with Asami, some of the little spirits moved down and hovered around them curiously. They looked like all manner of odd little creatures, from glowing fish to sparkling birds. Korra held out her hand and silently willed the Spirits to lend her a hand, and sure enough, little green bird perched upon her finger. Another two, purple and red, fluttered down to hover beside them.

"See? I think they like you."

A half-smile tugged at Asami's lips, and she followed Korra's lead. Sure enough, twin crimson sparrows alighted on her own finger, and she gasped in mild surprise. It was hard to be entirely shocked by anything after all she had seen as a member of Team Avatar.

"There's so much," she breathed, and they fluttered up to settle atop her raven locks. "It's... this goes on forever, doesn't it?" A few steps forward, as if it would make the slightest bit of difference to how much her mind could process.

"Yeah," Korra admitted softly. As they stepped forward together the bird-Spirits flew back up and moved in colorful circles around their heads, singing and whistling pleasantly. "I've seen quite a bit of it, but there's a ton more I haven't seen. But wherever you go in the Spirit World, it all just kind of responds to how you're feeling. So… as long as we're having a good time, everything should be great!"

"Then everything should be wonderful, since I definitely am." But again, Asami caught herself saying something like that, and she hid a shy smile behind a gesture: tucking her hair behind her ear. More and more frequently, such loaded phrases had been slipping past her defenses. "It's nice for us to be able to spend time together again." No better. "Without an evil, over-powered maniac trying to destroy us, I meant!"

Korra watched Asami smile and tuck her hair out of the way, making the Avatar blush quite clearly. "I'm glad, too! I've wanted to be alone with you for so long." She froze, eyes suddenly wide with embarrassment. Stupid! "I mean, without anybody watching us! Wait, I…" She smacked her palm against her forehead. "Oh man."

But Asami's smile only grew wider as she watched Korra blush. "No, don't beat yourself up on my account. You're completely fine." The words seemed to have no effect other than to make Korra shuffle more awkwardly, so she began to rub her hand up and down along the one resting so gently upon her shoulder. "We have time now. Plenty of time to talk about whatever we want, do whatever we want, anything!"

Korra flushed more and smiled bashfully as Asami's hand rubbed hers reassuringly. The other girl's easy-going acceptance boosted her confidence.

"Yeah," she began quietly. "About that. Asami, I… I know we can do whatever we want now, and now that we're here… I want this time away to be something really special. You know for a really long time I've wanted to, uh…" Her blue eyes darted towards those soft lips in front of her. "To talk to you. Ask you something."

The Avatar took a deep breath. Gods, she could defeat Spirits and criminals and terrible warlords but she couldn't talk to the person she loved! Steeling her resolve, she blurted out, "Ever since we started writing letters while I was away, I got this feeling there was something happening between us, but then more stuff started going down with Kuvira, and other people were around, and I… I guess I was just scared. But I'm not going to be scared anymore. I…" She took both of Asami's hands and smiled hopefully.

"A-Asami, I want to be with you."

There was the barest movement of her mouth, opening into a tiny "oh". But there was no true shock, no staggering back or pointed questions. Just the quickening of her pulse.

"You already are with me," Asami tried to reassure her. "Look around — do you see anyone else here? It's only the two of us. Alone, just as you wanted. And there's no one else I'd want to be this alone with... not Mako, not anyone."

Korra had panicked a little when Asami's mouth formed a small gasp. Then it seemed like she avoided the confession, even though it looked as though she probably knew what she meant. This was a horrible idea. She'd spoken too bluntly, been too reckless.

"I'm sorry," the Avatar stammered quickly. "I just thought you felt the same way because I thought I saw you looking and I was looking at you too, and I- NO! I don't mean you were looking at my boobs or something, that's- rrrgh! Look, I know it's weird and crazy and it doesn't make any sense but I can't stop thinking about you, with me, and…and…nnnnnn-Iwannabeyourboyfriend!"

Though she had been following along easily enough, patiently, her mouth quirked upward at the end. "Boyfriend? Is there... something you might need to tell me? Please do, if you must; I'll keep an open mind."

That wry smile made Korra certain that Asami was toying with her, and she grunted with frustration. "RRGH! I need to tell you that I'm in love with you and you make me feel like nobody else ever has, ever! Not Mako, or…or anyone! That's what!"

The baldness of that statement really did take her aback, and both dark eyes flew wide. Love? They had been circling affection that went deeper than mere acquaintances, it was true, but Korra reached straight for the brass ring. Was it really okay for her to respond to such an earnest confession?

"Korra, I... I love you, too." A light shrug accompanied Asami's words as she turned away slightly, and Korra squeezed her hand. Had she been too forward and scared her off? "But I don't know anything about being in love. I mean, this feels so much stronger than it did with Mako, but that turned out not to be the real thing, so... I am a bit nervous."

Now the Avatar was worried. She wanted to show her that this was so much stronger than what either of them had with Mako. But all the could think of to say was, "That's okay. I'm nervous, too."

"But if anyone makes me want to be absolutely sure, it's you, Korra." Asami bit her lip as her hand moved slowly forward and stroked Korra's strong, dusky jawline. "Nobody else."

The Avatar felt her heart race. Such an intimate touch was everything she'd been hoping for over the past few weeks, and yet it wasn't nearly enough. Impulsively, she caught the hand that touched her and placed a gentle kiss on the back of it, sighing as her lips ghosted over the pale skin, soft and smooth as she'd imagined it.

That gesture changed the game considerably. Before, they had just been expressing their affection; making sure there could be no ambiguity that they were interested in figuring out what their feelings meant. Both women were invested in this relationship to leave nothing to chance. Now, however...

"Korra," she breathed tightly, staring at the lips, at the spot where they had just left. "I... you know, sometimes I thought I was going crazy, that I was imagining the way you looked at me... wishful thinking, I don't know. Are you sure this is what you want? With me, of all people?"

"Of course!" Korra exclaimed, squeezing Asami's hand a little tighter and moving closer to her. "I've never felt like this about anyone, and never been more sure of anything in my life! You… you're perfect." She grinned awkwardly again and kissed her hand once more, this time in the center of her palm. The skin was so soft and warm, and Korra longed to feel the rest of Asami's gorgeous body with her lips. "You're so beautiful and smart, and… I just… everytime I even think about you, my heart starts to pound and I feel all shaky!"

Asami did her best to put on a serious look. "Then maybe you should see a doctor. What if it's the deadly Sato Fever?"

Korra paused a moment before laughing at Asami's mock-graveness. "That is definitely what it is," she replied. "I don't need a doctor to tell me that..." Taking a measured risk, she pulled Asami just a little closer, so their bodies were nearly touching. Korra's breath quickened. "I'm pretty sure there's no cure."

"But we could treat the symptoms. Let me check if you have it." Leaning upward, after only the briefest moment of indecision, she pressed her lips firmly against Korra's forehead, allowing her own eyes to close as she tested that sensation on her lips. Wonderful. Then she pulled back half an inch and whispered against the skin, "You're burning up."

Korra gasped a little when she felt Asami's breath against her fevered skin, and Korra couldn't withhold a trembling sigh at the feeling of those soft lips when they brushed it a second time. She looked up at the taller woman with adoration and desire, pulling her still closer. "You do that to me," she told her.

A breathy laugh escaped Asami at that admission. She had known Korra started having that effect on her, but to find out the feeling was mutual was beyond her wildest dreams. "Really? Just me? I'm no one special. Not anyone suitable for the great and mighty Avatar."

Korra openly rolled her eyes. "Now you're just being ridiculous!" she teased, placing a kiss of her own on Asami's forehead as her confidence returned. "You're Asami Sato, genius engineer and head of Future Industries! You basically put Republic City back together, and I know you're gonna come up with some amazing way to rebuild around the new Spirit Portal. You..." She paused with belated realization and grinned like a proud fool. "You think I'm great and mighty?"

"Of course! What I and my company can do is nothing compared with bridging this world to ours! Taking down Unalaq, Amon?" Then she dipped her voice lower. "And you're the hottest Probender of all time. I've heard other people say that — not just me."

"Of all time?" Korra repeated, blushing. The way Asami lowered her voice made Korra lean in her closer. "You're pretty hot yourself, especially when you're kicking butt. You're a great fighter, Asami; I love watching you take down a Bender twice your size with that crazy glove! Look, you… I'm the damn Avatar, and if I've decided you're great and mighty enough for me, who's gonna argue?" She grinned cockily and kissed her cheek with a soft hum of content.

For the first time in longer than she could remember, she giggled. Asami Sato giggled. She tried to suppress it a moment later, but it was far too late to keep Korra from hearing her. "For somebody who can't remember how to use a napkin most of the time... you are extremely smooth."

Korra's eyebrow quirked a little skeptically, but her grin spread nonetheless. For the sake of the moment she'd take that. For Spirits' sake, she'd made Asami GIGGLE! She was on a roll, no sense in ruining it. "For you, I'd even learn your silly napkin rules and how to use all those different forks and spoons!"

"My courageous cavewoman," Asami teased her further — before she made a move of her own. Eyes clearly displaying that she couldn't believe she was doing such a thing, she leaned in and pressed her lips against the very tip of Korra's nose. They were so close to each other, so intimate... how long had they been wanting this to happen? How many hours had she herself spent daydreaming about it, only to try to shake the mental images that made no sense to her? They couldn't be counted.

'I was born in an igloo, not a cave,' Korra thought to say; but she couldn't form the words after Asami placed a soft, lingering kiss on the tip of her nose. When she didn't move away, Korra placed a gentle hand behind Asami's neck and guided her down a bit so she could kiss her lips. Those soft, warm, red lips were everything she'd been thinking and dreaming about these past few weeks and they were even sweeter than she'd imagined. It was a chaste kiss, gentle and still, but trembling with deeper longing.

"Asami..." she breathed softly.

"Yes?" It was all she could think to say. How could she admit that she wanted more, that she wanted Korra to do more or say more? She had kissed her! The backs of her knees felt weak and her mind was spinning, and she placed her free hand on Korra's shoulder now to steady herself. Anything could happen now.

Korra felt Asami go weak in her arms and heard the soft tremble in her voice, and it made the Avatar groan with a possessive desire. "Asami, I... I want you so much..." She let her other hand wander down the the small of her back and pulled her yet closer, so their bodies were flush together. She kissed the corner of Asami's lips, then her smooth jaw, and then her throat, lingering over the gentle throb of her pulse.

That was when Asami felt a tingling of another kind. Korra had not only intended to confess her feelings today, but seemigly wanted to progress their relationship as far as they could manage. To become one with her.

"O-ohhh," she sighed awkwardly as she felt the lips moving across her neck, as she smelled the incense-laden scent of Korra's shampoo. "You... are you sure you've never... done this?"

"I've been with a guy," Korra confessed. "Well, with Mako. But I've never… I mean, I'm not sure how to… um, with a woman. But when I'm with you it just feels so right and I think if I could just...ah..." She faltered awkwardly, pausing to collect her thoughts. "I'm sorry, I thought you felt the same way. We don't have to do anything else if you're not ready! I- I'm sorry."

"Oh, I- no, it's fine!" Asami hurriedly overcompensated. Then she cleared her throat and reached up to caress Korra's neck. "I'm... I never did this much with Mako, and there hasn't been anyone else. Any, um, boys I went on dates with never even got as far as you did just now. And obviously, there haven't been other women."

"You didn't? With Mako?" Korra was taken aback. She had simply assumed that Asami and Mako had gone all the way, as into him as she'd seemed at the time. It both pleased and frightened Korra that Asami hadn't been with anyone else. It meant that she'd be her first, that Asami was all hers... "But you're okay with this?" she asked, testing the waters by kissing her throat again.

"I d-don't know," she told her honestly. "But I'm willing to see where this takes us." The kisses against her throat made it harder for her to articulate her feelings, but she swallowed and made another attempt. "I just hope I don't end up disappointing you."

"You could never disappoint me," Korra assured her, before pulling her in for another slow, gentle kiss. She cradled Asami's face in her hands as their lips moved together. "Just tell me to stop, and I will, okay?"

Asami's painstakingly-hued eyelids slid to a close as she melted into Korra once more, hands trailing up and winding into her short brown locks. This was not at all expected, but very welcome. All this time, they had been circling each other and feeling the pangs of attraction, when all along either one of them could have made the first move and saved them a lot of waiting. Her lips turned up in a silent laugh at how ridiculous they both were, but in the end it was a trivial matter. They were together now.

This felt so natural, so easy. Feeling Asami's body against hers drove her mad with want, and Korra was unable to keep her tongue from darting across Asami's lips as she kissed her more firmly.

That was the first Asami had felt of another person's tongue since Mako. At that time, she had thought he was only interested in taking her to bed, even though he swore he just wanted to see how it felt. Was Korra after the same thing? More importantly, why did she feel so different about the answer she would give Korra if she asked?

Korra heard a little sigh from Asami and interpreted it to match her desire. She pulled back for a brief second and smiled, before sweeping Asami off her feet and into her arms, prompting a startled squeak. She carried her effortlessly, using her Airbending to propel the both of them across the grassy valley. Laughter trailed through the skies as they flew, and bubbled down into something quiet and inviting as Korra knelt down and laid Asami on the grass beneath a tree far from the portal's glow, leaning over to kiss her cheeks again.

"You're so beautiful," Korra sighed. "Wow, I could just kiss you and touch you forever..."

"Why do I think that's the best thing anyone's ever said to me?" Then Asami reached up and tucked a stray strand of hair behind Korra's ear, eyes full of desire and affection. "You're so gorgeous... or handsome, I guess. Since you asked if you could be my boyfriend."

"Heh, yeah," Korra chuckled as she trailed a curious finger down Asami's arm. "Girlfriend is fine, I guess. I've just never heard of two women being girlfriends. Together, anyway." Hearing how that might sound discouraging, she quickly added, "But I don't care! I just want to be with you..." Leaning forward, she kissed Asami's lips again and stroked her face with her hand.

Humming quietly into the contact, she allowed them to explore each other again for a few long moments before she pulled back and sucked in a shaky breath. "Korra... I want that, too. I'm so happy with you right now that I feel like I might explode!"

Korra laughed knowingly. "Careful," she teased. "You just might." Feeling suddenly weighted down by all she was wearing, Korra shrugged off her backpack and quickly pulled off her armbands, tossing them aside in the grass. Then she leaned over Asami, powerful arms on either side of her head, and kissed her jaw and throat again. The soft touch of her skin made Korra shudder with need, and she tugged lazily at the buttons on Asami's jacket.

This move made Asami's eyes spring back open. It seemed Korra was definitely in an ambitious mood. Her own hands began to drift up and down Korra's back now that the heavy pack was out of the way. Korra was all hers, and they had all the time in the world.

Taking the stroking on her back as encouragement, Korra took the time to focus on the buttons and open up Asami's jacket. Then she sat up and pulled off her own top, revealing the tight bindings she used to keep her breasts under control. She self-indulgently stretched, allowing Asami the opportunity to see her sculpted torso, before leaning back down to reengage her lips again. "You taste so sweet," Korra murmured, almost a low growl. "So soft..."

Perhaps Korra had noticed Asami's hungry eyes taking in every last contour, every rippling muscle beneath flawless skin. Perhaps not. Either way, she was distinctly more flushed when their lips parted. "Do I? Really? Because you do, too..." Could they really be doing this now — and out in the open, of all places? Sure, there wasn't another human soul in sight, but that didn't mean they were completely alone.

Korra couldn't answer Asami, she was too breathless as she trailed hungry lips over every inch of her face and neck. She could never get enough of her, she would never be satisfied no matter how many kisses she gave her. Korra's lips found Asami's ear and she nibbled playfully on the soft lobe. "You drive me wild, Asami," she sighed desperately.

There was another laugh, but it turned into a moan toward the end. Before now, she had no idea that her ears were sensitive. Korra was driving her mad with desire, and she felt a strange balance between joy and panic welling up in her. This was all so much!

The little moan she heard made Korra's desire flare, and she moved down to nibble similarly at Asami's throat. "You sound so beautiful," she sighed. Her hands moved down to the hem of her shirt, pulling it up to reveal her pale, flat tummy. Korra scooted down and kissed that as well, teasing the sensitive flesh there with both her lips and teeth. This was the way Mako had explored her body once, and it had driven her mad with lust; she could only hope that Asami would enjoy it as much.

However, Asami's panic was only rising to blot out her desire. Everything until that moment had been so erotic, so flawless that she had given herself over to it. But now, Korra was fast approaching somewhere that no one besides her own self had ever been before, and that was not a thing she had been prepared to deal with today.

"I... Korra, you're so..."

It took Korra a moment to register the sudden stiffness in Asami's body and the panic rising in her voice. "Did I go too far?" she stammered, sitting up quickly and beginning to panic a little herself. "I'm so sorry! I...I got carried away!"

"No, no, you... well..." Sighing, Asami blushed and looked away. "I'm the one who's sorry. I just... am not used to doing things like this... or this fast? Is that okay? Do you hate me?"

"Of course that's okay!" Korra said quickly, moving to the side so that Asami could sit up if she wanted. "I could never hate you! I should have known this was too fast." She put her head down on her knees and sighed. "Ugh, I'm so stupid!"

"Not stupid," Asami sighed, sliding her arm over Korra's back. Korra's nearly-bare back, laden down as it was with firm muscle. She suppressed a shiver of delight and charged ahead. "And nothing you did was wrong, okay? Nothing at all! I'm just... awkward about this kind of thing. Not used to it." When Korra didn't answer right away, she added, "And I liked everything we just tried. A lot."

"You did?" Korra said softly, smiling as Asami rubbed her back reassuringly. "Oh! Well… okay, good. This is good. Maybe later then? When you're ready?" She put her own arm around Asami and rested her head on her shoulder. "I guess after all this time I was just too impatient to jump right in."

"All this time?" Asami laughed as he gently pet Korra's hair. How unbelievable that she would need to console the all-powerful Avatar! "We've been almost-dating for about ten minutes!"

"Well, I mean, I've known my feelings changed ever since I came back from… finding myself, I guess. I felt so distant from everyone, but not you, and everything just kind of grew from there. I just couldn't stop looking at you, and next thing I knew I wanted to hold your hand, and more than that… but I guess I kept it bottled up for a long time."

"Ah. All... that time." Blushing and looking away, Asami found herself fiddling with the opened buttons on her jacket. "I... started noticing you, too. And I felt conflicted about seeing your hair when you came back. Is that weird?" Turning to look at Korra, she shrugged slightly as she went on. "I know this is silly, because it's just hair, but you looked more... handsome. Can a woman look manly? And even though I always liked your hair before, you cutting it short did things to me that I couldn't explain properly. Helped my perception of you shift."

Handsome? Korra had never thought of herself in that way, but she'd take it. She understood better than anyone how distracting hair could be, as she'd spent enough time watching Asami's when she moved. "Nah, it isn't weird," said Korra. "No weirder than me liking your gorgeous hair, anyway." And your eyes, she wanted to add. And your lips, and your neck, and your butt in those riding pants…

Just as a bright blush began creeping across Korra's face again, they were interrupted by a gust of wind. There was a sound like shimmering chimes, and little pieces of golden light floated past. The Avatar grinned and took Asami's hand. There was no place she'd rather be than here, with her.

Smile mirroring that of her friend, Asami fell backward again into the grass, fingers still clutching at Korra's as she stared up at the multicoloured clouds. It was a paradise. How had she gone from someone who only cared about the bottom line, to a woman lucky enough to be whisked away to a magical wonderland?

"There's a lot to explore here, isn't there?" she finally breathed.

Korra laid back beside Asami and stared up at the colorful sky with her. "Yeah, there is. It's pretty huge." She smiled excitedly. "I've got a few spots to show you, though! There's this mountain, Hai-Riyo Peak, where huge Dragon-Bird Spirits nest and a teashop for Spirits. And Xai Bau's grove, in the middle of this huge valley, where the sky is yellow and the water is red and all the trees dance — even though there isn't any wind!"

And Asami listened with rapt attention, though it was only partly because of what she was saying. Just hearing Korra talking so passionately on any subject, no matter what it was, set her heart to fluttering.

"I want to see every single one of those places with you." Her voice was a quiet, firm promise. "I don't care how long it takes us — days, months... let's see it all, okay? Together."

Korra laughed. She could spend forever here, as long as Asami was with her. "Together," she agreed happily.

They laid there in silence for a while before Korra yawned and stretched lazily, realizing she was exhausted. It had been the wee hours of the morning when they left the physical world, and neither of them had slept before leaving.

"Are you tired?" asked Korra. "Because I am totally beat."

"A little, yes," she said with a weak laugh. "But I'm fine."

"Hang on." After rifling around in her backpack for a moment, Korra pulled out the blanket roll she'd brought. Made in the traditional Water Tribe style, it consisted only of two thick blankets, one to lie upon and the other to lie beneath. Each was made of soft hides lined with penguin-seal fur.

"I don't know if you brought one of these," the Avatar said awkwardly as she laid it out beneath the tree. "But this one's big enough to share… I mean, if you wanted."

A sly smile spread across Asami's face. "You only brought one on purpose, didn't you?"

"Hey, you could have brought one if you wanted to!" Korra said quickly, hands on her hips, though she was grinning right back at Asami. She took off her boots and untied the fur around her waist, leaving herself in just her pants and chest bindings, before slipping down into the cozy furs.

Debating only a few seconds, Asami began to slip out of her own shoes. Then she slid her jacket off and laid it neatly beside them before she nipped the corner of the top blanket aside just enough to crawl in behind Korra.

"Are you sure this isn't... too awkward for you, or too soon?" she whispered nervously as she snuggled up against Korra's side, heart pounding in her throat.

"Definitely not," Korra replied immediately, humming happily to herself as Asami laid down and snuggled in beside her. Right away, Korra turned to face her and draped an arm across her body, breathing deeply and memorizing the smell of her expensive shampoo. She'd been waiting long enough to have Asami in her arms, and now that she had what she wanted, Korra was happier than she thought she could ever be. "This is perfect."

"Then I'm glad." One of Korra's knees had wound up between her own, and even though they were both covered in pants, it still made her blush to think about. As they tried to settle in for the evening — or morning, or whatever it was — Asami let her voice drop to a quiet, sleepy tone. "And I'm glad it's you, here."

"Me too," Korra agreed softly, already becoming drowsy as she melted into Asami's touch. Slowly, they adjusted themselves until their bodies naturally intertwined. It was hard to stay awake. How could she, with the soft lights in the sky and Asami's sweet voice lulling her to sleep? She gave into the urge to rest and closed her eyes. Her last conscious thought registered her girlfriend's legs rubbing against hers, and then she drifted off into an easy, dreamless sleep.

Asami followed soon after, deciding in her drowsy mind that the morning would be a better time to admit that she had, in fact, brought her own sleeping bag. There just didn't seem to be any point in unpacking it at the moment.

_~ To Be Continued ~_


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> CHAPTER WARNINGS: Just fluffy kisses, and catcalling.
> 
> NOTES: Not much to say, other than thank you for your reviews! Let's get to the next installment! 8D

Korra awoke to the sounds of many birds above her, and steady breathing just beside her. She breathed deeply and smiled before opening her eyes. Sometime during the night, she and Asami had become even more entwined than before, with her head resting on Korra's chest. She looked so pure and innocent and beautiful when she slept, eyes closed softly and lips just barely parted.

Moving slowly, so as not to wake her new girlfriend, Korra looked up. The sky had warmed to an interesting hue of greenish-blue. The tree above them, which had simply been covered in green leaves when they fell asleep, had grown a multitude of delicious-looking fruit just overnight. A horde of Spirit-birds were perched in the branches, nibbling at the ripe fruit.

"Hey, Asami," Korra whispered, rubbing her nose against Asami's forehead and stroking her hair. "Wake up…look!"

But it seemed Asami did not want to wake up. Curling tighter around Korra's body, she dug in with her fingers and caught her leg that much tighter between her own. Also, her cheek nuzzled against one of the firm breasts beneath it. There could be nothing in the waking world better than where she was right then.

Korra flushed a deep shape of crimson as Asami murmured in her sleep and clung tighter to her body. Her long fingers clung tighter to her hair and her chest bindings, and if Korra had moved her leg just another inch, she could have felt the crux of her thighs against her knee. The idea was…tempting, to say the least. But now, as hot and bothered as she was getting, she felt almost obligated to wake her.

"Hey," Korra whispered a little louder, combing her fingers through Asami's hair and kissing each of her closed eyes. "Come on, it's morning! You're going to want to see this."

The little kisses did it. Asami jerked awake, blinking dazedly and trying to figure out where she was. "Hey... wh-what's going on? Where..."

And then she recognised the surreal environment. The colours that seemed like they could not be real, the lush and alien fruits on the tree above them. The unusual one-legged creatures loping across the distant plane.

"...the Spirit World."

"Did you forget already?" Korra chuckled, still running her fingers through Asami's silken hair. They sat up together and Korra let her lean back against her chest. "Look, a bunch of fruits grew overnight!" She pointed around them. Sure enough, while they'd slept, every tree in the field seemed to have produced ripe fruits of every color. The whole world around them was awash in jewel tones, and in the songs of the Spirit-birds who had come to enjoy the fruit.

"They look so... unreal," Asami whispered as she rubbed a bit more sleep from her eyes, then allowed her arm to fall loosely around her waist. "Do you think- I mean, can humans eat them, or only spirits?"

"I guess we could eat them," Korra replied casually. "I ate Spirit food the last time I was here. Honestly, it tasted pretty good. Never seen these fruits before, though."

After thinking for a moment, Korra stood up, motivated both by hunger and an urge to show off for Asami. She stretched for a moment before jumping into their air and Bending it around her to shoot her up into the tree. The birds chittered noisily as she perched on a branch, but they didn't seem to mind her being there. She picked the few closest to her and jumped back down, landing on the earth with a light thud. Then she dumped her armful of fruit out in front of Asami and took a big, juicy bite of a bright green one that looked particularly appealing.

 _"Mmm…_ yeah, you gotta try this! It tastes like melons and apples at the same time!"

Snickering as she watched Korra's magnificent display of Bending prowess, and then at the rivulet of juice that was running down her chin, Asami picked out a large purple one with white leaves and sank her own teeth into the flesh.

"Oh... oh that's bitter, ugh," she remarked, pulling a face. Then she cocked her head to one side. "However... I think it's just the skin that's bitter." Trying again, she snapped at the pale pink flesh she had exposed with her first bite. "Yes, oh goodness — it's like a chocolate-covered strawberry! Amazing!"

"No way! Chocolate?" said Korra through a full mouth. She grabbed another one similar to the one Asami was eating, peeled away the skin with her fingernails, and took a bite. It tasted like chocolate indeed, although the fruity undertone of this one reminded her more of plums. "Wow… yeah, see? I told you Spirit food would be amazing."

"You did," Asami tittered.

"Hey, speaking of Spirit food," the Avatar began, picking at the fruit skin again. "I think we should go to Hai-Riyo peak today. I have a friend near there who makes tea and food for the Spirits. You definitely need to meet him."

"You have a friend here? In the Spirit World?" Then she dipped her head bashfully as she took up the other one Korra had first sampled, nibbling at the opposite side. "Of course you would. You had to have interacted with somebody the last time you were here, didn't you?"

"Yeah. I'd tell you who he is, but… I feel like you have to see him to believe him. He really helped me when I was lost here and looking for Jinora. In fact, I probably wouldn't have made it out without his help. Although… to be honest, I'm not sure how to get to Hai-Riyo from here."

Shrugging, Asami finally began to extract her legs from inside the bedroll as she ate more of the fruit. This one was more to her liking, though she would remember the other one for when she was more in the mood for dessert. "Is there anyone you can ask for directions? I... don't suppose there's a map of Spirit World, is there?"

"Um… not really. At least not to my knowledge." Korra wasn't sure if it was even possible to make a map of the Spirit World; although, if one existed, she would be willing to bet that Iroh knew about it. "Let me think about it for a minute…"

While she tried to figure out how they would find their way around, Korra threw on her clothes and packed up her blanket roll, stuffing it into her backpack with some of the fruit she'd collected. Then she had an idea. "Maybe I can get in touch with the Spirits who live around Hai-Riyo," she suggested. "Hang on."

After pulling on her shirt and boots, Korra sat down cross-legged and closed her eyes, just as she did when meditating. But this time she tried to feel her connection with all of the Spirits, feeling her way through all the energy around her.

Asami finished pulling on her own clothes and readjusted the items in the backpack while she waited for Korra to do her thing. This was something that she herself would never fully understand, given that she was not connected in that way to the spirits. But she was happy rather than jealous. Korra was the one who needed this connection, not her.

Korra's eyes popped open the moment she focused in on the energy she wanted to find. "Perfect!" she exclaimed, jumping to her her feet. "Now we'll get to "Hai-Riyo in no time!"

A split second later, Korra heard an echoing roar in the distance. The Dragon-Bird Spirit appeared first as a small speck in the distance, then grew in size, until the massive creature made the wind swirl around them with each gust of wind. It landed on the ground in front of them without making so much as a thud.

"This is my friend, the Dragon-Bird Spirit!" Korra said proudly, gesturing towards the huge, golden monster. "We helped each other when I was looking for Jinora. Spirit, this is Asami." Then she climbed onto the back of its neck and extended her hand. "Hop on! He'll take us where we want to go."

Shielding her face against the wind buffeting her, then gazed up in moderate shock. This thing was big enough to eat her in one gulp, and she had never seen it before. "Hop on? Just like that?" But she trusted Korra. After just a single deep, steadying breath, she reached up for the hand and took it, using the assistance to swing up and onto the neck behind her companion. "Okay, I... I'm on!"

Korra couldn't blame Asami for hesitating; she had every reason to be afraid of the massive beast. "Don't worry," she said reassuringly. "He's fine, I promise." Once Asami had a good grip on her hand, Korra hoisted her up behind her. "Hold on tight!" Seconds later, the Dragon-Bird Spirit flapped its wings and took to the skies, soaring miles above the ground in a matter of moments.

"Can you take us to Hai-Riyo Peak?" asked Korra, patting the beast's shoulder.

"Oh!" Asami said — but it was more of a breath of wonder than a scream of terror, contrary to her expectations. The flight was so smooth and without a single bump or violent pitch that she didn't have any reason to fear for her safety — and besides, she was with Korra. Nothing bad could happen to her while Korra was there, she was sure of it.

As Hai-Riyo Peak came into view, she felt herself becoming more anxious, however. Who was this they were going to meet? Would it be someone kind, someone imposing? Would it even be someone she could speak to? Her arms tightened around Korra's middle as the Bird-Dragon lowered them down to the very top of the mountain and landed.

The peak looked much different than it had upon Korra's last visit. The ground beneath them was covered in soft snow, with softly-colored flower buds poking up from beneath the frost. The path down the mountain twisted every which way, but was smoother than it had been before, and looked like it would be a very easy hike.

"Thanks, buddy," Korra said, patting the Dragon-Bird's head before she slid down and landed with both feet on the ground. Then she reached up to help Asami down. "Pretty cool ride, huh? The best way to see the Spirit World is from the air."

"You're not kidding," she breathed, watching her breath fog on the air. It wasn't as truly cold as the Water Tribe's abodes in the far South, but the slight nip in the air invigorated her after such a warm and muzzy sleep. As she adjusted to walking again, she smiled over at her friend. "Lead the way."

Korra took Asami's hand and began leading her side-by-side down the mountain. She still couldn't get over the fact that they were together, walking like a real couple, and she kept looking over and grinning like a fool when Asami's eyes met hers. It seemed like no time at all before they were down the mountain and moving into the grassy plain below.

Iroh's little tea cottage came into view quickly, as did the outdoor table, where many plant and animal Spirits were sitting and enjoying tea, just as they had before. Iroh stood up, revealing himself among the Spirits, and stepped forward to meet them. "Korra! What a wonderful surprise. I was not expecting your company again so soon. I see you've brought a special friend."

"Asami, this is Iroh." She paused, her grin spreading - along with a light blush. "Yeah, I know… THE Iroh."

"Iroh? But he... do you mean the former Grand Lotus?" Her eyes widened so much that she could have sworn they would be aching afterward. Unable to stop herself, she reached out to take the amiable old man's hand between her own, and was only distantly surprised that she was able to hold it. "You... but you were lost to the world so long ago, I thought you- I mean, how did you find yourself here? Are you really _the_ Iroh?"

Iroh chuckled amiably as he shook Asami's hand and bowed slightly. "That's me. Not so imposing in the flesh, hmm? When my time in your world came to an end, I gravitated towards the Spirit realm rather than the endless cycle of death and rebirth. It is peaceful here, the perfect place for good tea and good friends." He gestured towards the table, once crowded with Spirits, where there were now three open seats for them. "Come, join us for a cup of tea!"

"May I really?" Asami asked in a hushed voice. When he merely smiled wider at her, she tentatively stepped forward and seated herself on one of the cushions around the table, folding her legs underneath. "This truly is an honour, sir! An honour and a privilege!"

Korra followed Asami over to the table and took her place beside her. Iroh sat across from them, and all the Spirits faced them as though ready to engage in polite conversation over their tea.

"Nonsense," laughed Iroh as he poured two more cups of tea. "It is my honor and my privilege to serve tea to any friend of the Avatar. Especially one so treasured." He gave them a knowing wink, and all the Spirits seemed to chitter and nod in approval. "So, what brings you two to the Spirit World?"

"We just kind of needed a little vacation," said Korra, leaning to the side a bit and wrapping her arms around Asami's shoulder. "Stuff's been pretty crazy in Republic City… again."

"It's all changing now," Asami sighed. "My company is safe again, but me... I think the break will do us all a lot of good. Or the two of us, anyway." But she couldn't stay terribly distressed over their current state of affairs with such warm, strong arms around her.

Iroh nodded understandingly. "A break from the chaos of life can often remind us what is truly important."

"I agree completely," Korra replied, still beaming foolishly at Asami. Then an idea occurred to her. "Oooh, drink the tea! You're not gonna believe how it tastes. This," she said, pointing to the teapot. "This is the same teapot that the first Avatar used to carry Raava around while they wandered the world."

"I see you have not forgotten our last meeting!" Iroh said with a hearty laugh. "Yes, it is… and you can still taste the light in every sip."

Asami looked between them in disbelief. Partly disbelief that this was really an artifact from Avatar Wan, and partly that she was allowed to even so much as sit at the same table as the teapot, much less drink from it. Hesitantly, she accepted the cup Iroh was holding out for her, then toasted the both of them.

"Health!" She put it to her lips and drank deeply, one eyebrow lifting as the warm, sweet broth swirled on her tongue. "Ooh, it's so strong... and soothing to me, I feel more at ease. As if I'm in the middle of the best dream I've ever had."

"Light is a powerful thing, is it not?" chuckled Iroh, sipping from his own cup.

"I am definitely in the middle of the best dream I've ever had," Korra gushed without thinking. "I keep telling myself I'm gonna wake up and find myself back in my parents' igloo!"

"If this were a dream," Iroh jested pleasantly, "I would be much younger and thinner."

"You look fabulous for a man who's been dead for decades," Asami laughed — then belatedly slapped a hand over her mouth. "Oh, I'm so sorry! That wasn't a polite thing to say!"

Korra blushed a little too, but Iroh just gave a hearty laugh and raised his cup. "Ohhhohoh, goodness… Not to worry, Asami; I took no offense." The Spirits didn't seem to mind, either; if anything, they seemed to like Asami as much as they liked Iroh and Korra. One of the smaller ones, a little green Spirit shaped like a flower, padded across the table and began sipping from Asami's cup.

"Now THAT is not polite," Iroh chastised the Spirit gently, pouring another cup of tea and placing it in front of him. "If you wanted more tea, Konoha, you had only to ask."

"Konoha could share with me if she wants." Then she looked up to Iroh for an indication. "Or he? I wouldn't want to insult my new friend." All of this was terribly surreal, but she couldn't bring herself to mind just now. There was something deeply calming in the tea and in the company she was keeping.

Iroh's smile could have lit up the heavens. "He, she… to some Spirits, this does not matter. A tree is neither male nor female; it is simply a tree. In the Spirit World, the content of one's soul is much more important than how the world addresses you." He passed a knowing glance between the two of them. "This is something that you ladies have had the wisdom to understand already, is it not?"

"Well, I guess w... we..." And that was when she knew that Iroh had heard about their relationship. Probably through the other spirits, who flocked to him with glee and loyalty. She didn't know whether to feel honoured that he cared, or that her privacy was being invaded. "What can I say? That particular piece of wisdom is ours."

"You will find only acceptance for your love here in the Spirit World, so long as it is true and sincere," Iroh replied calmly. "I wish I could say the same for the people of your own world."

Korra frowned. She was well aware; the rejection of others was what had kept her from Asami for so long. "I can handle whatever bullshit Republic City has to offer," she grumbled a little defensively.

"Your confidence is admirable," replied Iroh. "But hate and misunderstanding are powerful things."

"I hadn't even thought of that," Asami sighed, sitting back heavily. "Although I think Tenzin and our other friends will probably be fine with us." Then she waved a hand animatedly back and forth. "No. I won't bother worrying about what's going on in that world until I'm back in it. This is our time."

"Of course," Iroh said with a nod. "Forgive me for spoiling your pleasant vacation with talk of such matters."

"No worries," Korra muttered a little awkwardly. She knew Iroh only meant to be helpful, but she worried that he was making Asami second-guess the relationship that they'd only now begun.

"So," Iroh continued, addressing Asami. "Where has the Avatar offered to take you next? I imagine she is the best tour guide one could hope for, when visiting the Spirit World."

Tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, she smiled as she thought back on how excited Korra had been when describing the world as she had explored it before. "Well, she mentioned a few places. Some kind of grove?"

"I would recommend a spot for you to visit, if I may," said Iroh.

"Of course!" replied Korra. "You know this place better than anyone."

"There is a small hollow in the earth not far from here, just on the other side of the mountain," Iroh explained, pointing towards the peak. "But you will find that if you enter it, there is a grand cavern the likes of which you have never seen. Its beauty is a great marvel. The Spirits there can make themselves a nuisance at times, but they are harmless, and shall speak only the truth. I wish that all people had the privilege of seeing its majesty."

Asami wasn't sure what to think of this potential sight. Something underground didn't sound quite as majestic as the aboveground they had explored thus far, but she trusted Iroh's judgement. There must be something about this particular cavern worth seeing. Sitting up just a bit straighter, she took another sip of his near-miraculous tea and said, "If you would be so kind as to point us in the right direction... I think that sounds fascinating."

"Yeah, on that note," Korra chimed in. "We were just talking about how to find our way around the Spirit World. There wouldn't happen to be a map or something you could loan us, is there?"

"I'm afraid such a thing does not exist," Iroh replied with a bit of regret. "I also once thought such a thing would be useful, but the Spirit World isn't like the world you and I are from. A map is useless in a realm such as this. However…" He paused for effect, taking a long sip of his tea. "I am certain that your friend the Dragon-Bird Spirit will be happy to take you anywhere you wish to go.

"As for the cavern," Iroh continued. "You needn't call upon the Dragon Bird, for it is a very short walk from here. Simply circle the base of the mountain until you find a great tree with leaves and berries of crystal and gem. Just a few paces beyond it, you will find the entrance to the cavern."

"That sounds easy," Korra laughed. "Can't miss a jewel tree!"

"Ah," Asami sighed in mild disappointment. "I was hoping to find a map... or perhaps even make one, together. But I guess it's okay that we can't." Drinking down the rest of the cup, she held it out to Iroh, then glanced at Korra. "Sorry, did... you want to set out right away, or...?"

In truth Korra was eager to get going and see the cave. Just the fact that Iroh had mentioned it specifically made her very curious. But she could tell Asami wanted to stay and drink more tea with Iroh, and how often would she have that opportunity in the future? "We can stay a while longer," she said with a smile. "We are on vacation, after all."

~ o ~

They spent a couple more hours drinking Iroh's magnificent tea, talking about all manner of philosophy and history and Bending, before Korra and Asami decided they ought to be on their way. Iroh bade them farewell and reminded them that they were always welcome to visit. He and Korra hugged, and then the two women turned to leave. A few steps later Korra turned to wave to him once more, only to find that they were suddenly a great distance from him, standing at the foot of the mountain.

"Oh yeah," she chuckled, squeezing Asami's hand. "That happens here sometimes."

"Very odd," Asami muttered numbly as she turned — and then all memory of their fast travel was driven from her mind.

Standing above them was a tree unlike anything she had ever seen. Every leaf was jade and emerald, every fruit a ruby or a sapphire. But they were also exactly what they should be, leaves and fruits, branches. It fanned out like a bonsai, sweeping and majestic and flowing upward like a bending river, but no bonsai had ever shimmered this way.

"Ohhhhhh..." She wished she had more words to do it justice, but that was the best she could manage. "Korra..."

"Whoa…" Korra marveled as she too looked up to behold the great jeweled tree. They smiled at each other briefly before looking back at the tree in awe and wonder. After a few seconds of stunned silence, Korra said rather calmly, "You know, wouldn't it be funny if the cavern was like, nothing at all, and Iroh sent us over here just to see the tree?"

Turning her head to look around the immediate area, Korra spotted the hole in the side of the mountain. To her surprise, the darkness within it seemed to ebb and flow with the faint hint of colors. "Asami, check this out," she said, jogging over to the hole and peering in. "Whoa, hang on. It's kind of a long drop down."

The Avatar picked Asami up in her arms just as she had the previous night, and she jumped down into the dark cavern, Bending the air around them to soften their descent. As soon as both her feet were on the ground, she put Asami down as well, her eyes widening at the scene before them. "Never mind, this is way cooler…"

The inside of the cavern was like nothing either of them had ever seen, or ever could have imagined. Though it should have been pitch dark, the whole place was lit by the glow of purple crystals sprouting from the ceiling and floor, as well as patches of huge, glowing mushrooms scattered about. The great fungi faded from one color into the next every few seconds, casting a veritable rainbow around the cavern and into the crystals. The stone ground was softened by a thick layer of squishy moss, and in the center of it all was a dark lake, its surface reflecting each and every color and light playing above it.

"Ohhhhhhhhh," Asami breathed, the tree miraculously forgotten despite its obvious splendour due to this new and incredible sight spread out below them. As the hues shifted and changed, she gazed out over the surface of the water. "It's almost better to look at the water, the way it catches it and brings back the colours. And look!"

Extending her hand, she pointed out to Korra that one of the mushroom caps had either fallen away or had been removed and placed at the edge of the lake, upside down. The perfect little boat — although "little" meant it could comfortably seat six people.

Korra stared, mesmerized by the water, for a long moment before she realized exactly what Asami was pointing at: a mushroom boat, accidentally sitting upside-down beside the water… or perhaps deliberately. Korra wouldn't have put it past Iroh to anticipate their arrival through some weird Spirit magic and prepare this ahead of time. The man was so in tune with the Spirits that sometimes it seemed like he'd always been one of them himself…

"Let's check it out!" said Korra, taking Asami by the hand and leading her over to the mushroom cap. She pushed it into the edge of the water and hopped in, bouncing on it a little to test its buoyancy before she offered Asami a hand. "Want to go sailing?" she joked.

"You act like a little boy sometimes," Asami snickered, but she offered her hand all the same.

"Yeah? Well… I _was_ a little boy in my last life!" Korra teased back as she helped Asami in. "So there."

As she stepped gingerly into the makeshift boat, she was prepared for it to bob and weave, but it was uncommonly steady on the surface of the water. "Fascinating..." Then she seated herself primly on the opposite end from Korra. "Shove off, then, sailor."

Once Asami was seated comfortably, Korra stood in the center of the mushroom cap and used her Waterbending to propel the boat gently towards the center of the lake. It took longer than she'd expected; the lake was bigger than it seemed from the entrance of the cavern. But once they were there, they could see every inch of the cavern, and all the colors were reflected both below and above them.

Korra took her seat beside Asami and whispered, "This is crazy. I've seen some insane stuff in the Spirit World, but nothing like this, ever…" She put her arm around the woman beside her and gave her a content smile. "Iroh was right. This is amazing, and… and perfect."

Already having been mesmerised by the muted flashing lights and shifting hues around them, Asami fell to further hypnosis watching Korra's movements as she guided them across the water. Then she melted against the side of her companion, sighing in contentment. "Too perfect. I've never known perfection like this before in my life. I'm so grateful that we made it here!"

"Yeahhh…" Korra sighed absently as Asami leaned in close. She stroked her hair, something which was quickly becoming a habit when they were together, and kissed the top of her head. "Perfection."

After they sat like that in silence for a few idyllic moments, Korra added, "Iroh said some of the Spirits could be annoying, but I haven't seen a soul around." She grinned and shrugged, nuzzling gently against Asami's hair. "Guess that means we're alone."

"Guess it does." Taking in a deep breath, she let it out slowly as she wrapped both of her arms around Korra, allowing herself to relax into the presence again. All of her reticence from the night before had been relaxed away by their continual camaraderie. "You wanna go for a swim? Or just... lie down in the boat for a while? Your call."

Korra paused. It was tempting to say they should go for a swim, and get them both out of all these clothes… but Korra thought better of it. "Ehh, who knows what's in that water? Or if it's technically even water at all? I think we'd better stay in the boat." She paused. "Wait, d-did you say, lie down in the boat?"

Laughing nervously, she clarified. "Not... for any specific reason. I just thought it seems relaxing, with the gentle waves moving us back and forth..." Then she looked down at her own knees. "Sorry if that came out sounding like I was, um, you know. Propositioning you."

"Heh… of course not," Korra replied awkwardly. In truth, she had thought and hoped that Asami was. Once again, her 'balls' had gotten ahead of her brains, to borrow a rather crude expression from Mako and Bolin. "Yeah, that sounds like a great idea!"

As though to demonstrate to Asami that she meant no harm or offense, Korra moved and laid down on the bottom of the huge, hollow mushroom. She lounged on her back with her arms behind her head, as she often did when looking up at the stars. "Ohh… this really is the greatest view from down here!" she remarked.

Wasting no time worrying about the slight displeasure in Korra's initial reply, Asami scooted forward and then laid back, resting her head against the crook of the elbow already there waiting for her. Then she looked not up at the crystals and caps above them, but at their reflection in Korra's clear eyes.

"The greatest."

Korra wrapped one arm around Asami's shoulder and sighed happily, savoring this moment between them, regardless of how it played out. They were together, and nobody else in the world would probably ever see this wonder. It was their beautiful secret, and that in itself was magic.

When Korra realized Asami was watching the colors play across her eyes instead of the ceiling, she blushed and smiled at her. "Y-You know, I've heard there are caverns kind of like this under Ba Sing Se. But with green crystals… and I don't think they have any giant glowing mushrooms or black lakes. That's, um, that's new."

Nodding for a long moment, Asami merely turned to gaze up at the mushrooms with her instead of making her more uncomfortable. Then a small smile pulled at her lips. After a second or two, she began to chuckle quietly to herself.

Korra heard Asami laugh and smiled at her for a moment, waiting for the joke to become evident or for her to explain her amusement. When she didn't Korra quirked an eyebrow and rolled her eyes. "Care to clue me in on the joke?"

"So what you're saying is..." Another small giggle before she finished, and it was clear she was holding back louder gales of laughter with what little restraint she had left. "There is no _spore_ in Ba Sing Se?"

Korra froze for a second before the joke sank in. "There is no… oh." She was shocked for a moment at the ludicrousness of the pun but eventually the irony of it crept in. She chuckled dryly for a moment before the sound of Asami's laughter made her laugh harder as well. "Ohhh, that's… okay, gotta admit that's a good one!"

As their laughter settled, Korra turned her head a little to press a kiss against Asami's cheek. Despite what Asami had said about putting the 'real' world out of their minds for the time, she couldn't stop thinking about what Iroh had said about people not accepting them. She knew it was an unfortunate truth, and yet… laying there like that, with the woman she loved in her arms, Korra couldn't imagine ever letting her go. This was too perfect, too treasured.

"Asami," Korra whispered out of the blue, turning a little to drape her other arm over her waist. "You know I'll never let anything happen to you… right? I know you're strong and you can take care of yourself, but… whatever happens, here or back in our world, there is nothing I wouldn't protect you from."

This line of thinking surprised Asami, but it also pleased her. Nothing she didn't already know, but hearing it made her feel yet safer. "I know that, Korra. You've proven it over and over. And I'll do the same for you, when I can." Then she smiled slightly and said, "Even though I'm just a silly girl with a glove."

"Don't say that," she whispered back. "You're not silly. You're an awesome fighter, and… I'm so glad you're by my side." Their eyes met for a long while, and Korra stroked Asami's face gently with her thumb, longing to pull her closer and kiss her. But instead she just remained where she was, not wanting to frighten her away anymore than she already had.

So this time it was Asami who leaned inward, who meshed their lips together and tasted of her deeply. Her body made no other move to strike or to roll atop her; it was enough to simply engage with the one for whom she cared most. And, as always, Korra tasted divine.

Korra was a little surprised, but pleased, when Asami bridged the gap between them. The Avatar gave a soft hum of contentment and cradled Asami's face in her hand as she returned the kiss. Their lips moved together slowly, leisurely, and when they parted Korra watched the colorful lights playing in her love's dark eyes. Spirits, she had it bad; she wanted more, but knew Asami couldn't be pushed. This needed to happen at _her_ own pace; so she settled for just kissing her in the same way she'd initiated, savoring and memorizing and adoring every curve and corner of her mouth.

"You're so beautiful," the Avatar whispered against her lips. "I think I could just lay here and kiss you forever." Pulling back a little, she winked. "Or at least until we got reeeally, really hungry."

"Really?" Asami asked breathlessly as she ran her hands through Korra's hair. "It feels like... you're already trying to devour me." She knew it was a line. She knew it was specifically designed to draw her paramour in, but that made it all the more sweet.

Korra gave a soft groan. Asami's words made her desire surge, as she envisioned herself kissing and devouring every part of her. Did the older girl have any idea what her words did to Korra? She had to know that would drive her mad…

"I feel like I could devour you," Korra replied in a low voice. Her hand drifted from Asami's cheek, down her arm and her side, to rest at the small of her back. "I'm… I'm _hungry_ for you, Asami…"

That Korra responded to her teasing wasn't the problem; it was that she responded so earnestly. That flustered Asami for a moment, and made her cheeks flame red. But it was a good flustered, she knew it was — beneath the confusion. Then she half-smiled and whispered, "You couldn't have me any more alone than this, I'm pretty certain. If you wanted, you could taste every little bit of me. Who'd stop you?"

Even in the relative darkness Korra could see the flush on Asami's cheeks. She pulled her a little closer and gave another soft groan as she thought about yesterday, about how her lips had been moving down her throat and her belly before the less-experienced girl asked her to wait, to slow down. Korra had obliged, mortified by the idea of pushing Asami into something she didn't want. But now, the Avatar thought, she was teasing her so much that she had to be wanting this, too.

"Nobody, in this world or ours, could stop me…" Korra replied, drawing ever closer and whispering in Asami's ear. "Except you. Anytime you get scared like yesterday, or you just want me to do something different… you say something, okay?"

In an odd way Asami couldn't quite put her finger on, that was the most arousing thing that had ever been said to her in her entire life. Maybe she still wasn't sure where they would end up tonight, but she knew they were both going to enjoy every minute. Her hands wound tighter into the hair of her partner as she nodded, then strengthened the kiss, tasting her bottom lip before she opened to allow an exploring tongue inward, accepting it with such a warm welcome that it might never leave. She was hoping that turned out to be true.

Korra sighed happily as Asami's tongue darted over her lip, and she couldn't keep herself from exploring her mouth with her own. Korra devoured her exactly as she had wanted to, and she was every bit as sweet as the Avatar had hoped and dreamed.

When she couldn't bear not breathing any longer, Korra broke their kiss and sat up, pulling Asami upright and into her lap. She cradled her lover in her arms, caressing her back and shoulders through her clothes. She had to feel more. Korra let her hand wander up beneath Asami's shirt, across the flat expanse of her belly. "Let me take it off, please?" she whispered, pulling at the buttons on the silk blouse. "I've got to see you."

"A-alright," Asami told her. She hated that she sounded scared, that she was scared. It wasn't of Korra in the slightest, but of letting _anyone_ get that close. She had been raised to believe modesty was of paramount importance, and to relinquish any of it was to invite trouble. That did seem foolish now, of course, but it was also impossible for her to forget all about her old way of thinking.

Therefore, a compromise: instead of withdrawing in on herself, pushing Korra away, she held her arms open to allow her free reign. Maybe she didn't have the bravery to take it off herself, but she could do that much, at least.

Korra heard the slight tremble in Asami's voice, and she held her close and kissed her cheek before going on. She smiled at her new lover, rubbed her shoulders soothingly for a moment, and then proceeded to slowly unbutton her blouse. "It's okay," she whispered. "I promise I'll never ever do anything to hurt you." She kept kissing Asami's cheek and forehead gently as she finished all the buttons and pulled the blouse away.

Korra sighed in awe as she leaned back a bit and beheld Asami without her shirt. Spirits, she was a marvel; slender, nowhere near as strong as Korra, but toned and athletic. And of course, she had one of those fancy, modern brassieres that made her breasts look so round and so… so…

There was a soft noise, almost like a wolfbat-whistle, but Korra attributed it to the wind moving through the cavern. Impulsively, she reached out and cupped one soft breast in her hand. "Ohhh my- you're… you're so beautiful, Asami…"

The sensation of being touched in an area more sensitive than usual shot through to Asami's core, and coaxed forth a desire to do much the same to Korra, to shred her clothing as she removed it and bask in every last square inch of her. Instead, she merely bit her lip and leaned her head back, sighing in ecstasy. This could only get better from here on in.

Of course, she too heard the whistling sound echo off the cave walls, but it was so quiet and distant that she paid it no mind. The entire world was Korra.

Korra watched, enthralled, as Asami leaned back and moaned with pleasure. She kneaded her breast gently in the palm of her hand and supported her back with the other, desperate to hear that sweet sound again. But instead their solitude was interrupted by a loud holler.

"AAAAAAW _yeeAAAH!"_ a single male voice hooted obnoxiously. Both women gave a startled shout as Korra pulled Asami close against her body, possessively and out of respect for her modesty. As she looked around the cavern for their unwelcome observer, she realized the giant, glowing mushrooms had huge black eyes and mouths… which they had suddenly opened. All at once, they began to shout and comment, their nasal voices echoing through the great chamber.

 _"Una muchacha qu'esta MUY RRRICA para la_ Avatar, nah?"

"Go get her, Avatar, give it to her!"

"MmmMMM get dat cute ass, Korra! Ow- _OWW!"_

"What is it?!" Asami demanded, unable to see anything but a mass of hair obscuring her field of vision at first. Then she slowly managed to angle her head so that she could see what Korra was seeing, and she blinked in surprise. These strange spirit creatures had been watching the whole time?

"Hey, who do you think you are!?" shouted Korra, shaking her fist at the crowd of talking, glowing mushrooms.

"Who d'you think you are, _chica?"_ said one of the mushrooms.

"She's the Avatar!" chuckled another. "Avatar, gonna bang that little cutie, huhhhh?"

"Yeahhh, look at that sweet bod; I'm jealous, _hombre."_

"You don't talk about _my woman_ like that!" bellowed said Avatar, springing to her feet rather abruptly. Still holding Asami close and trying to shield her from prying eyes, she shot a large fireball towards one of the mushrooms, to little effect.

"Hey, hey!" Asami whispered, tugging at Korra's arm with one hand while her other tried to button up her shirt. "They haven't hurt us, you don't need to destroy them over a few rude comments!"

Korra knew Asami was right, but she wanted to kill them for ruining their moment. "Rrrgh… fine. Fine, let's just get out of here." She began moving the boat towards the edge of the lake again.

Immediately all the mushrooms began to complain. "Heyyy where you _chicas_ goin, huhhh?"

"Aww, don't get dressed, the show was just starting!"

"Come back, _muchachas!"_

"Asami, hey! C'mon, tell the Avatar to take a chill pill! We all know ya want her to give it to ya good, huhhhh?"

"Why don't you find another hobby?!" Asami shouted up at them. Just because she didn't approve of their destruction did not mean she was willing to sit back and take their verbal lasciviousness without speaking out.

Chastising the mushrooms just seemed to make them grow more obnoxious. "What are we supposed to do down here in the dark? We make colors, that's our hobby! Big deal!"

"C'mon, give us a show, Avatar!"

"You _know_ you wanna bend her over the edge of that boat! _Yeahhhhhh!"_

"You'll all shut up if you know what's good for you!" Korra threatened, shaking her fist as they reached the shore and climbed out of the boat. However, she couldn't help but remember what Iroh said: that the Spirits here could be a nuisance, but they only spoke the truth...

"You wanna _fuuuuuck_ her!" several of the mushrooms chanted in unison. "Avatar Korra gonna get _laaaaaaid_ tonight!"

Sticking her tongue out defiantly, Korra picked Asami up and shot them out of the cave with her Airbending, landing them back on the grass with a soft thud.

"I am so sorry that happened," she stammered as she placed Asami on her feet. But Asami was only laughing, even while she was blushing. When Korra raised an eyebrow, she shrugged as she tested her footing to make sure she could let go and stand on her own.

"Don't worry about it. Truth is, it was kinda funny... I mean, not that I would give them the satisfaction of knowing it was. They don't deserve it, but still… how often will you run into catcalling fungus in your lifetime?"

"Yeah, I guess," grumbled Korra. In truth she was upset that the mushrooms had gotten in her way, and that they had revealed her deepest thoughts to Asami. So much for slow and subtle. "I guess Iroh was telling the truth about the Spirits being a nuisance..." She knew she should have been laughing, but now she just felt pent up and angry.

"They didn't say anything that wasn't true, though," Asami teased, letting one hand play up and down the buttons of her jacket. She wasn't quite ready to open them again so soon — not after what happened last time they were opened — but this was fine. "You do want to 'fuck my bod', don't you?"

Korra's eyes widened as her gaze followed Asami's hand. "I… w-well, I… yeah I do." She shook her head to rid it of the fog of lust. "But that's not the point! They disrespected you."

"Yes, they did. But maybe that's not disrespectful when you're a spirit mushroom." Sighing, she glanced up the mountain toward where they had left Iroh. "Maybe we should have a talk with him; they seem to revere his wisdom."

"With Iroh? Again?" replied Korra. She didn't particularly want to visit him again at the moment. She was in more of a mood to continue what they'd started in the cavern. Heck, she'd tear Asami's clothes off right now, if she didn't think it would scare her away.

That short answer had tipped Korra's hand, and Asami flushed and averted her eyes slightly. "Oh... okay, maybe we'll tell him about it later. For now, shall we explore a bit?"

Korra looked down at the ground as she saw Asami expression. Was she pushing too hard? "Okay," she replied softly. "Exploring sounds nice." Taking Asami's hand in hers, she looked around and spotted a path leading into a thin forest. "Wanna go that way?" she asked, pointing towards the trees.

"Wherever you want to go is where I want to go," she half-whispered, leaning over to leave a light kiss on her cheek before they began to move into the trees.

_~ To Be Continued ~_


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> CHAPTER WARNINGS: chasing, Nudity, clothes destruction, light nipple play, fingering, cunnilingus.
> 
> NOTES: Happy Boxing Day! I know I didn't post anything on Christmas, but the truth was, I didn't really have much to offer; no holiday-centric ficlet to post. There are other things I'm working on, but Korrasami is the only fic that's ready to go, so I thought I'd at least give you all a bit of smut as a belated gift. Hope you enjoy! ;D

As it turned out, the forest was full of unique oddities that only mirrored those of the world from which they had come. Weeping willows that actually wept, proud oaks that grew wider if you looked at them directly. Other trees that bore no resemblance to those in real life that would vanish and reappear on a whim, but never where you could witness it happening firsthand. Truly a magical wood, and one that they could probably have walked through for hours.

Korra was as impressed by the Spirit forest as Asami was. They walked around in it for ages, just marveling at all the strange and unique things, until they came upon the most beautiful clearing that Korra had ever seen.

"Whoa..." Korra whispered. It was as though the trees of the forest had drawn a great circle which their roots could never touch, and then leaned their bodies over it to provide shade. The grass was green as emeralds, the flowers brighter than jewels, and the air above them was full of butterflies of all colors.

Nodding solemnly, Asami began to pace forward into the clearing — slowly, carefully, as if it were hallowed ground. It might have been to the spirits for all they knew. She was even holding her breath, though she did not notice that at first. When nothing happened after a few steps, she let it out in one long gust.

"I... think I'd like to stop here for a little while," she told Korra distractedly. "Just experience this place."

"Definitely," Korra agreed softly. She wanted to experience this place too, if only just for a moment. Although, in truth, she thought it would be much better to experience Asami...

As they stood there in the clearing, Korra stood behind Asami, wrapping her arms around her waist and pressing their bodies together. "This is gorgeous," she sighed softly. "I can't think of anywhere I'd rather be, or… or anyone I'd rather be with."

"Agreed. You are the only person I would want to be with in this place. Well, except maybe..." Asami's voice trailed off. The last thing she wanted to do was bring down the mood by talking about the past.

Korra's heart sank as she realized where Asami's mind must be going. "Except maybe… your father?" she asked, giving her shoulders a soft squeeze.

Nodding, she reached up to touch Korra's hands. It was important that she communicate, even non-verbally, that she most definitely appreciated her empathy. "Or my mother. But life isn't perfect. And I still feel like I would prefer your company in a place like this."

Korra waited sadly for Asami to gather herself, unsure what to do. For someone who could kick any ass the world threw at her, the Avatar wasn't too adept at handling feelings. She wished she knew what to say or do to make it better. Heck, she'd even try to bring Asami's father back from the dead, if she thought she could and it would make Asami happy…

A few more seconds passed under the cloud of melancholy before Asami skipped ahead a few paces, turning to back away from Korra with an impish grin that almost convincingly erased her previous sadness. "You know what I haven't done in a really long time?"

When she broke away, her demeanor suddenly shifting, Korra understood. Sometimes the best way to deal with sadness was just to make it wait until later, until it could be given its proper due. So she followed Asami across the grass with a smile. "I dunno, what?"

"Run barefoot through the grass. Like a child without a care in the world." Then she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and muttered, "I'm sure you think that's silly... and there's probably something else you'd much rather be doing."

"That's not silly at all!" Korra answered quickly. "I totally get it. I mean… most of my childhood memories involve snow, not grass, but I've been there!" She sat down and pulled off her boots, discarding them in the grass and jumping back up. "So if you want to run… do you need somebody to chase you?" She winked and grinned, shrugging her shoulders.

Laughing at both Korra's indulgence and the last notion, Asami sat down and did the same — though she had stockings to remove as well. Once back on her feet, she shivered as she began to also take off her gloves. "It's so cool, and soft... I can't remember the last time I did anything that was so very not 'adult' like this!"

Korra couldn't help but laugh. "I think you'll find that doing 'not adult' things every once in awhile is a pretty good thing." She wished she had something smoother to say, something a little more suggestive, but it didn't matter. Asami wanted to play, so play they would! "Now then… do you want me to give you a headstart?"

"Oh! I, um... what are the rules? Where's home base?" Of course, her managerial mind was trying to make sense of a nonsensical activity. It was futile, but she couldn't help it — even as Korra took a step forward to test, and she let out a squeak by way of involuntary reaction.

"Rules?" Korra teased. "Oh, come on, you don't need rules when you're playing. You're running and I'm trying to catch you, okay?" She took a playful step forward and laughed at the way Asami squeaked and moved back. "Heh heh… now are you gonna take that headstart I offered you? Because if not, this is probably gonna be over pretty fast!"

That was all the prompting she needed. Turning, Asami Sato was off like a shot, legs taking her across the grass at a decent clip. She was no slouch when it came to physical fitness, so even though they both knew the Avatar was going to win, she at least hoped to give her a decent run for her money. No pun intended.

A belly-laugh followed Asami as Korra watched her take off across the grass, and she counted to ten before taking off after her. She'd go easy on her - at first. She wanted to give Asami the good, exhausting playtime she needed to get her mind off everything. So she remained just a few paces behind her, making quite a show of occasionally gaining on her before 'losing' her advantage.

"You can run, but you can't hide…" she teased in the same voice she often used when speaking to Meelo. "I'm gonna catch you!"

"Not... without a fight!" Asami huffed, not winded but definitely pushing herself to the extreme. This was fantastic! Even though they had played tabletop games, like cards or Pai Sho, she had never really "horsed around" with Korra, Mako and Bolin. It had seemed ridiculous and undignified, even though she bore them no ill will for wanting to let off steam that way. It simply was not her thing. Maybe that would have to change.

"Oh yeah?" Korra teased her, gaining on her quickly. "We'll see about that!" She moved to Asami's left and made as though the grab her; and just as she'd predicted, she dodged. Korra spun on her heel, moving as though she were practicing her Airbending, and caught her off as she turned.

"GOTCHA!" she shouted, throwing her arms tightly around her. "Not without a fight, huh?"

 _"Aaah!"_ Asami cried out as they both went down on the grass, her for the second time. Chuckling, she pushed at Korra's arms. "Okay, okay, I give! You win this round!"

"Who said anything about rounds?" Korra teased, not letting go even as Asami pushed against her. It was effortless to hold her there. She pinned her to the ground beneath her as though she were holding a leaf against a table. "Game's over, and you've lost. Now…" She leaned in very close, her breath ghosting over Asami's cheek as she whispered in her ear. "I just have to decide what to do with you."

Shivering, the clearly less-agile woman allowed her eyes to close as she whispered back. "Well, do you... want me to offer a few suggestions?"

"Yeah," she whispered back even more breathlessly, watching Asami's eyes flutter closed. "Yeah that'd be helpful…"

"Well... you could let me go, have the fun of hunting me down all over again." Her hand raised to glide along Korra's strong jaw, to tease her skin the slightest amount. "Or let me chase you for a change." Next, her hand began to trail down her neck, reaching to her firm chest shrouded behind her shirt. "Or..."

Korra's breath caught in her throat as Asami reached out to touch her chest. Ohh Spirits, her fingers felt perfect, so soft and gentle… The Avatar felt that insatiable stirring deep within her again. It was like what she'd felt with Mako, but stronger somehow, and more primal. She needed to take charge, to take what was _hers._

"Or what?" whispered Korra. She caught Asami's wrist and held that delicate hand against her chest. She waited a long moment before saying again. "Or… what?"

"Or you could... play with my body. Let me play with yours. Whatever you want." This was hard for her to say; it went against her nature to expose herself to anyone this much, but Korra made her want to push her own limits. To stretch them out around her best friend, let her and _only_ her inside.

And to prove her dedication, her hand began to knead very gently through the shirt, to cup and fondle the way Korra had done for her so recently. Though she had never thought she would be doing this for another woman, it sent a thrill straight down into her stomach. The Avatar quite simply felt so nice that she didn't care.

Korra shuddered as Asami's touch made her body catch on fire; it made her want to scream and sing, and yet… she paused. Even through her own arousal, through what Asami was doing, Korra could feel her trepidation.

"Whatever I want?" she whispered, leaning down to kiss her cheek. "Are you sure?" Then she kissed her throat.

A second did pass, a long second of contemplation, of nerves being steeled. The second that passed between them in silence was the longest moment of Korra's life - longer even than the moment Amon's fingers had been on her as he tried to take her Bending. At the end of that, however, Asami did lean up and whisper into Korra's ear.

"Anything and everything."

A shuddering breath left Korra. "Yes…" she groaned softly, reaching up to cradle Asami's face in her hands. Then she kissed her with more passion than she ever had before. Now, with Asami's permission and away from prying eyes, she devoured her exactly as she'd wanted.

Immediately, Asami responded with force and desire, winding her fingers through Korra's hair and holding her down against her. It was good. It was what she wanted and needed. Her own knee began to raise up and graze slowly along the hip above her own, to tease in her own way without taking the power away from her partner. She did not want it; Korra in control made sense to her, because she was master of the elements. Who else could hold that right?

Korra gave a soft moan as she felt Asami responding so eagerly. _Finally!_ she thought, as she began kissing even more firmly, moving her lips down towards Asami's throat. This was everything she'd been wanting for so long… But she had to do it right. She had to be careful, or Asami's first sexual encounter with another person would be ruined.

Moving back up to her lips, Korra continued kissing Asami as she worked away the buttons of her blouse. "You're so beautiful, Asami," she sighed against her soft mouth. "Spirits, you're… perfect…"

This time, Asami reached with her free hand down to pull the side of her blouse open. Then her arm twisted as she sat up, raising them both up to allow that side to fall away. Korra watched in awe as the soft fabric fell away from her body. Once she finished with Korra's assets, they could worry about the other side.

"Korra..." Now she herself began to edge around, to twist her fingers against Korra's underarm and through the hole to poke at the side of her breast. Obviously this wasn't the wisest way to go about it, but it amused her to be so coy. To deliberately tease instead of getting straight to the point.

"Yeah?" Korra teased with a grin. She pulled back a little more and removed her own shirt, peeling it away from the bottom and tossing it to the side, making no effort to hide that she was flexing her entire torso as she did so.

Not that she had meant to make such a noise, but the giggle that fell from Asami's mouth as she looked at Korra's nearly-bare torso was quite lewd. Strange thoughts flitted through her mind, such as tasting every last inch of muscle with her tongue. But she didn't bother with examining them; instead, she allowed the other side of her blouse to drop off her now-free arm before she raised both hands to trace lazily down the rippling muscles in front of her. One fingertip did a quick circuit of the navel.

"You are... Korra, I'm so lucky."

Korra shuddered. Asami's fingers tracing over her bare torso seemed to shoot little bolts of fire into her skin, making her tingle with lust and pride. When the other woman's fingertip circled around her navel she growled happily and reached out to finish removing Asami's blouse. "No," the Avatar whispered as she beheld her beauty in the light of day. "I am."

Suddenly desperate to feel every inch of Asami, to have every part of them united, Korra untied the bindings around her breasts. Then she reached out to Asami and fumbled with her brassiere, damaging the fastenings as she eventually grew frustrated and tugged it open at the back. As the small, black garment fell into the grass, Korra watched those perfect, round breasts bounce down into their resting position. "Ohhhhh my… m-m-my… whoa…"

"Korra!" A moment later, Asami had burst out laughing. Obviously she had been waiting to have her way with her so long that she couldn't even slow down to unlatch things properly! Now her bra was in tatters, and possibly beyond any repairs she could attempt on the fly.

But she could worry about that later. Now, she felt air on her upper body... all of it. And could see all of Korra's on full display. For whatever reason, her very first thought was that Korra's nipples were darker than she expected. Silly, given that she did know Korra was darker than her all over, but she supposed her mind had simply been expecting them to be her selfsame shade of pink, rather than the brown of her hair. They looked delicious. Smirking quietly to herself, she reached a hand up and rested a single fingertip on the very end of one, just to see how Korra might react.

Korra bit her lip and whimpered audibly as Asami laid a finger on the very tip of her breast. It was then she realized that all the time she'd been staring at Asami's bare chest, she'd been staring at hers too. "I guess we've both been curious, huh?" she whispered with a bashful laugh.

Smiling at her new lover, Korra placed her hand over Asami's and pressed it gently into her breast. With her other hand, she reached for one of her lover's bosoms, groaning softly as she kneaded the soft, pale peak in her hand.

A quiet sigh fell from Asami's mouth as she was touched, as she was allowed to touch. Her heart was deep within her throat and her loins were just beginning to burn as she gratefully kneaded against the tender flesh, as she wrapped her hand entirely around it and accepted its gentle weight. So warm, and so perfect. Everything was.

The feeling of Asami's hand on her breast, along with the soft, firm weight she held in hers, made Korra feel like she was floating on air. She smiled warmly at Asami and leaned in to kiss her again, nibbling at her lips and throat, before letting her mouth roam lower. She had to taste her, just like she'd imagined so many times before.

The Avatar's lips made a trail of light red marks across Asami's skin, down her throat and chest, to the tip of one of those soft, perfect breasts. Then, never breaking eye contact with her lover, Korra took one nipple between her lips and sucked ever so lightly, watching for any hint of pleasure or fright.

 _"Mmhhh,"_ Asami moaned at the warm, wet sensation that enveloped her teat. Korra really wanted to do this with her? It boggled her mind but she couldn't help but run it through over and over as the Avatar made her feel worshipped, made her feel as if she were the only object of desire in the entire world. And in this world, she actually was.

When her actions were greeted with only a smile and a beautiful moan, Korra continued, suckling just a little harder and kneading Asami's other breast firmly in her hand. Then she moved across to the other, giving it the same attention. Meanwhile she let her other hand roam lower, towards the waistband on Asami's skirt. "I want you so bad, Asami…" the Avatar groaned under her breath. "I've wanted you so bad…s-so long…"

That worried Asami a bit. What if she didn't live up to her expectations? After all, she had zero experience in these matters. But Korra seemed to know what she wanted, and therefore she felt no reason to keep it from her.

"How bad do you want me? Are you... ready for me?" To illustrate her point, she raised her leg again until the back of her heel pressed into Korra's firm behind.

Korra hissed and laughed a little as she felt Asami's foot pressing against her rear, pulling their hips ever closer. "I've been ready for you for ages," she whispered. She expected to easily dip her fingers into wetness and make some witty comment about how Asami was 'ready' too…but instead she found her path obstructed again, by more unfamiliar undergarments. "I… dammit! You wear too many clothes…"

"Or is it that you don't wear enough clothes?" Asami chuckled, but she took the opportunity to hook her fingers over the waistband of Korra's pants and began sliding them down as well. What was good for one of them should be good for both, right? "Feel free to do something about it, though."

"No! You wear…" Korra began to protest, before realizing it didn't matter and shaking it off with a laugh. "Alright… I will do something about it."

Grinning like a fool, challenging Asami to protest, the Avatar grabbed her skirt and panties each by the hem and tore them effortlessly down the middle. The ripping sound was…satisfying. Right away Korra's hand sought the apex of her lover's thighs, and just as she'd hoped, she found her wet and wanting.

"KORRA! You can't just keep- keep… oooh, _Korra_..." And just like that, her mind went blank. The Avatar herself was touching- no. Korra, the only woman in the world who mattered, was touching her intimately. Exploring her body. That it was wet seemed like an afterthought in comparison with how many little shocks of need were exploding out from those certain fingers and where they were probing.

"I thought so," Korra laughed as Asami's protest to her ruined clothes vanished into a shuddering moan. Spirits, she moaned her name — Asami moaned her name! Korra felt light-headed with joy. She leaned over Asami and cradled the back of her head in one hand, gently parting the wet outer folds of her sex with the other.

"You're so wet," she marveled softly, probing a little further at the pleasant discovery, letting one finger circle her entrance.

This was really happening to her. Korra had quite literally stripped her nude and slid a finger into her — teased her opening, was still teasing it. How had she ever avoided this before? Why? Her hands left Korra's front and raised to land on the muscled back instead, stroking up and down its entirety several times. Down and up, down and up. Every trip was well worth the time spent.

When Korra felt Asami's hands stroking firmly up and down the length of her back, and she saw the desire and anticipation in those gorgeous green eyes, all her doubts were soothed. Asami wanted her, just as much as she did. Very slowly she slid one finger inside her lover. Just as she'd thought, one was all she needed; Asami was tight, and her maidenhead was intact. Korra felt the less experienced woman flinch a little as she touched it.

"Don't worry," she soothed in a hushed voice. "I won't hurt you…" Korra remembered distinctly the pain of her first time. Mako couldn't have known, being a man; but Korra understood and she wanted everything to be different for Asami. So she moved that one finger carefully, curving up towards the spot that she herself favored, only hoping that Asami would find it pleasurable too.

And she did. The tightness that Korra encountered did register to Asami, but she didn't have the wherewithal to understand its significance — only that a moment later, she was feeling pleasure like she had never felt in her entire life. It was as if Korra had a map to her entire body and was going to follow it to buried treasure.

"More!" she panted, the finger curling up and into her mercilessly already. "Korra, it's so... I've never felt anything like this!"

Korra flushed as she felt Asami's soft walls flutter around her finger, and she heard her cry out, already begging for more. The Avatar was happy to oblige. She'd waited far too long to play coy now. She leaned over Asami a bit more, laying her back on the grass and parting her thighs with a gentle nudge, so she could get better leverage for her arm and hand.

"You like that?" Korra groaned. She curled her finger more sharply and stroked that perfect spot again. "How it feels… when I'm inside you…?"

Her porcelain features were so tinted with pink that she might as well have been a painted doll. It was incredible what Korra was doing to her body! Much more of this and she knew it would be over all too soon. Nodding vaguely, she welcomed the parting of her thighs and widened them as much as she could, lying completely open for her lover.

Asami was rendered speechless, and Korra couldn't complain. Although she'd hoped to tempt her new lover into speaking she'd happily settle for the gorgeous sighs and moans coming from those pretty red lips. It was clear she was coming quickly undone… and as much as Korra wanted to pleasure her sweet lover, she didn't want things to end too quickly. This encounter was long overdue, and Korra intended to make the most of it.

Drawing her finger back very slowly, Korra smiled up at Asami and kissed the inside of her thigh. "Not yet," she whispered. "The first time you come for me, I want to taste you…" Gently holding her thighs open and apart, the Avatar laid down and placed a chaste kiss on the outer folds of her sex.

That brought Asami up quick. Both hands came down and alighted on Korra's head, though they moved no further than that; simply resting on the crown, she whispered, "Y-you can't really mean to tell me you're going to... use your mouth! For this? That seems pretty..." The word she was going to use was "intimate", but obviously this entire affair was intimate, wasn't it? Still, Korra's hot breath on her moistened and sensitive skin was more than she could bear.

Korra had to truly struggle to keep from chuckling as she realized how naïve Asami truly was. It wasn't out of judgement or malice, by any means… but she felt strongly possessive of her lover, and it excited her to imagine that she would be the one to open Asami's mind to such pleasures.

"Why not use my mouth?" Korra teased, nipping at Asami's thigh before drawing her tongue up and down and around her entrance. "You said it yourself: I want to devour you…"

Once she had felt the tongue exploring her sex, Asami definitely understood. It still seemed an odd thing to want to try, but the results could not be argued with. This felt fantastic! Biting her lip to keep from groaning aloud, she allowed her own head to fall back against the grass as Korra went to work on her with her mouth. Their relationship would never be the same after this day, that was for certain.

Korra pulled back a little and hummed pleasantly against Asami's thigh as she leaned back and tried to suppress a moan. "It's okay," she groaned. "Let go and sing for me… I've waited so long to hear your voice like this!"

Cupping Asami's pert rear in both hands, Korra pulled her closer and went back to work with her tongue, teasing along and around her entrance. Then she let her tongue flick upward, gently coaxing the swollen bud from its hood.

"AH!" Asami burst out without meaning to have. That was it. The tight bundle of nerves that Korra had found was far too sensitive for her to be able to keep her voice down any longer. Eyes screwed tightly closed, she began to shift her hips forward a little, to meet the exploring tongue halfway.

"Yessss," Korra groaned triumphantly when Asami cried out in pleasure. She kept up that motion, stroking her tongue gently up until she felt the soft bud emerge fully from its hood. This came too naturally, Korra marveled to herself, it was just like… exactly like touching herself!

Eager to feel Asami ever closer, to more fully explore every inch of her, Korra gently guided one of Asami's legs over her shoulder so her dainty, pedicured toes pointed skyward as they curled against the air. Then, stroking that leg as she held the other down and out, Korra took her swollen clit between her lips.

The shifting of her leg gave Asami the slightest worry, a momentary distraction, but once she felt lips enveloping her sensitive little bud she could no longer care. Korra was only after making her feel wonderful and she was doing so with the greatest of ease. Was she really the first woman she had ever been with? At this point, she wasn't even sure she would care if that turned out to be a half-truth; at least Korra knew what she was doing, regardless of how she had come by that knowledge.

But that was inconsequential and academic. When she looked down, all she could see was her breasts, the top of a head of brown hair, and her own red nail polish. All else was a canopy of jade leaves hanging overhead, sheltering them from the rays of the sun yet allowing them to filter through, muted yet no less glorious for it. This must be paradise.

Korra could feel Asami's body tense with anticipation and relax as she gave into the pleasure she was being given. And Spirits, Korra loved giving it to her! She loved the way she tasted, the way she felt, the way she sounded as she moaned and gasped breathlessly. She felt her lover's hand on the back of her head, and worked her swollen bud a little more firmly, groaning each time Asami rocked her hips forward to meet her attentions.

"Ohhh, Korra!" Asami began to groan as she screwed both eyes shut again, reaching down to clutch at her lover's hair with one hand as the other fell just above her own head, knuckles brushing the grass. "Yes, it's so... I think I'm close!"

"Mmm, yeah," Korra all but growled against Asami's folds as she continued pleasuring her towards her climax. She reached back with one hand, lacing her fingers in between Asami's on the back of her head, and began lapping at her clit with her tongue in broad strokes, eager to feel and taste her lover's release.

The intensity of her cries rose steadily as Korra redoubled her efforts, as that tongue turned her flesh into one quivering mass of ecstasy. Her climax was near, and she tried for a brief moment to push it down, to delay it just a little longer...

But it was futile. Suddenly, Asami was screaming and wailing, hand clenching against the brown roots of her hair as her leg shot straight up. Her eyes were wide open now in surprised joy, and she saw her toes spreading in a way she didn't think they could. Korra did that. Korra made her body do things she thought impossible.

Korra groaned loud and clear and very nearly came herself when she heard Asami scream for her. She bucked slightly against the grass as her lover's voice rose to a peak and her fingers tugged mercilessly at her hair. The Avatar didn't relent with her tongue until she was certain she had ridden her down over all the aftershocks… and then she took a while longer to lap up all the juices of her release.

"You're so sweet," Korra sighed with deep satisfaction, gradually moving back up over the grass to lay beside Asami. There she wrapped her arms tight around her and held her close, kissing her gently on the lips. "Your taste, your voice… everything about you!" Just as she'd imagined…

The kiss happened so suddenly that Asami had no chance to protest. She froze, knowing that her own essence was now resting on her lips, just hanging there. What should she do? Curiosity tingled in the back of her mind, but in the end she wasn't quite ready to try something like that. The hand that had been in Korra's hair primly wiped her juices from her mouth before she rolled very slightly to curl around her lover.

"You... really liked me?" she asked shyly. "My taste, it was okay? I mean, not that I ever thought about what I might taste like before, but if you're going to be doing that, then I guess I'd rather it be pleasant than not."

"Spirits, yes!" Korra replied quickly. Her cheeks were flushed, and there was a dreamy giddiness in her eye that hadn't been there before. "You taste amazing! Asami, I… if you like that, I want to do it for you all the time!" She laughed and kissed her again, this time on the cheek.

Smiling and laughing warmly, Asami returned the gesture in kind. "Maybe you could; I can't imagine minding." Then she began to stroke along Korra's side as they lay there in the grass in the nude, not a care between them other than each other. "You're so good to me..."

"Good to you!" Korra couldn't help but gush joyously. "I feel so lucky just to have you in my arms…" She relaxed in the grass with Asami's head nestled perfectly between her face and her shoulder; really, truly relaxed, for what felt like the first time in ages. It felt so right and natural for their bodies to be pressed together in the afterglow of sex, her lover cradled protectively in her arms. "I… I love you so much, Asami."

There it was, the phrase they had not used before now. But it felt so natural to hear it on the air that Asami didn't even hesitate. "I love you, too. More than I ever thought possible." Then she kissed the nearest patch of skin very gently, which was Korra's arm, flexed and folded beneath her head. Felt its sensation beneath her lips. Maybe she could stay like that forever.

The Avatar gave a low hum of contentment and approval as those soft lips ghosted over her bicep, and she slightly tightened the hold she had around her. "I never want to move. I could lay here with you for ever and ever…"

"Maybe we can, if we try hard enough." Breathing in the earthy scent of grass and Korra's sweat, she imagined doing just that. Pictured their home here in the woods was bordered by roses and water lilies, that they lay on the grass whenever they wanted, that the six-armed deer would take their clothes to be washed...

Wait. When had she ever seen a six-armed deer before? Sitting up very slightly, Asami blinked as their eyes met, and the deer froze with all their clothing in two of its mighty arms, regarding them curiously. Then it took off into the underbrush with a casual, loping gait that clearly said, "Nothing can catch me, so why hurry?"

 _"Korra!"_ Asami gasped, pointing in its direction. "Our _clothes!"_

The moment Asami said her name, Korra was up like a bolt of lightning. "Our clothes? Oh my f— OUR CLOTHES! HEY! Get back here!"

_~ To Be Continued ~_


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> CHAPTER WARNINGS: semi-public nudity, hot springs, fingering, hair-pulling.
> 
> NOTES: It gets a little... *hotter* in this chapter. Yes, I am sorry for that pathetic joke. However, I do feel the need to warn you that the next chapter will be a bit tougher for some people to read. There will be warnings. For now, enjoy the aquatic activities!

No sooner had they seen the huge Deer-Spirit carrying their clothes than Korra took off behind it with a fury. "How _dare_ you?!" she raged as she chased it, propelling herself forward and between the trees with gusts of air. Asami took off sprinting after her, knowing that it was futile given her woefully mundane body's constraints, but she wanted to at least close as much distance between them as was possible.

After a few minutes, Korra stopped to catch her breath, and it dawned to her that she couldn't see the Spirit anymore. They hadn't caught it. Instead, they'd just found themselves in the middle of the woods, completely naked.

"Asami, do you see it?" Korra whined, shading her eyes to hopefully see better. "RRRRRG I lost him…"

"Sorry!" she panted, hands on her knees as she tried to catch her breath. The forest had been rather kind to her vulnerable flesh despite running through it with no protection; a few surface cuts on her legs and arms that were negligible. "I... I was behind you, so if... you can't see it, then... what hope do I have?"

"Oh yeah," Korra mumbled a little guiltily. "Sorry." She spotted the small scratches on Asami's legs. "Hey, are you okay? I didn't mean to leave you behind, I…"

"Nothing too bad. I'm just worried about-"

"Wait." Korra held up her hand for silence, then gestured towards what she heard. "It sounds like… bubbling water. Do you hear that?"

"Yeah," Asami breathed as she took a step in its direction. "And not bubbling because it's running, either." Korra took Asami's hand and moved slowly through the woods, checking around each tree as they went. She didn't mind that Korra had been distracted from her cuts so easily; after all, they were far from life-threatening. After just a couple minutes following the sound, they were able to pinpoint its source. It was a pool of water, surrounded by rock and no bigger than a large bathing tub.

"Whoa," whispered Korra for what felt like the millionth time that day. "It's bubbling. And it's warm!"

"A natural hot spring," she said as Korra led her closer to the edge. The bottom was not visible, but she had no reason to believe that it was any deeper than up to their shoulders. "We... really should keep looking for our clothes, but that looks so nice..."

True, they should keep hunting. On the other hand, if the Spirit didn't want them to find it, then they probably wouldn't. Curiously, she dipped a toe into the water, using her Bending senses to probe its depths. After debating for a moment or two, she shrugged.

"Aw, what the heck - how often are we gonna be in the Spirit World?" Korra stepped into the spring and found the water to be no deeper than the bottom of her shoulder. "Heyy, this is pretty nice," she hummed, offering a hand to help Asami into the pool.

Half-laughing, half-sighing in exasperation, Asami also allowed her toes to hover just below the surface. The perfect temperature, one the owners of fine spas in Republic City toiled to maintain every day. And here it was, naturally occurring! Almost grateful, she sank slowly into the bubbling water until she was standing next to Korra, moaning quietly.

"Good gods, Korra, it's... what I wouldn't give for ready access to this in our world!"

"You're telling me," Korra agreed with a chuckle, putting her arm around Asami as she trailed her other hand through the water. Absently she began twirling one finger to make a tendril of water rise from the surface, spiraling lazily through the air. "Hey, don't you have something like this in your mansion though? If you don't, I bet you could."

"Yes," Asami grunted ruefully, idly watching the Waterbending display before her. "And it really does feel nice, except the machine needed to power it is so noisy! Kind of takes away from the relaxing mood." After a few seconds, she began to pace around the perimeter of the spring, hand lazily drifting through the water until she found what she had been looking for. "Ah — a seat!"

That did made sense to Korra; hot water and bubbles didn't just come from nowhere, unless you employed precise Bending. She followed Asami with her eyes as she found the natural rock formation under the water to sit on. Korra moved to sit in front of her. She didn't need anything to sit upon; she could cross her legs and float quite comfortably in the water.

"Well, I guess we can come back here sometimes," said Korra. "Now that we have a Portal right here in Republic City."

Nodding as she sat back, Asami tried very hard to care about their missing clothes and just couldn't quite make it happen. Life was perfect. Yes, they had lost the crude trappings that made them presentable to society, but there was no society here to judge them, no prying eyes or greedy tabloid photographers. Sure, a few mushrooms had made off-colour comments, but they also couldn't move from their cave. Out here, nobody gave a damn.

"Maybe... we could just stay here forever."

"Yeah, wouldn't that be a blast! I…" Then Korra opened her eyes and saw how serious Asami's face looked as she gazed down at the water. "Hey," she said, her voice suddenly softer, reaching out to gently lift Asami's chin. "You don't really mean that, do you? If we were here all the time, who would take care of Future Industries for you? I can't think of any other genius who's gonna help rebuild Republic City!"

"Yeah, but... look at all that I've been missing out on!" A vague gesture with her hand encompassed all of their surroundings. "Today I saw an underground lake, met the great Iroh, ran barefoot through the grass..." And then she looked away, her voice becoming the tiniest whisper. "Lost my virginity..."

"Well, you don't have to give all of that up when we go back. I mean… our world and the Spirit world are connected now. We can come and go as we please, and… and as long as the two of us are together, we'll always carry these memories with us." She moved a little closer, running her wet fingers over Asami's hair. "You know, I'm actually kind of looking forward to going back. Not that I want this to end! I don't! But… when it does, we'll know that we're the only two people in our world who've seen and done these things! Isn't that awesome?"

Yet another sigh billowed out of Asami. Thankfully, she wasn't truly sad or depressed about their situation; just the thoughts that pertained to the other world were not quite so sparkling as those about Spirit World.

"But there, I'm just the boss. Heir to a company that was founded by an anti-Bender zealot. Most of my employees know what I've done to help you out, and they either respect me or worship me as a hero — which makes me very uncomfortable, but at least it's not harmful. Some of them, however... they see him in me. They think I would ever agree with his philosophies, and it makes it hard for me to get out of bed in the morning, knowing that's what's waiting for me when I do."

Korra nodded with understanding. She had always just assumed that Asami was proud to uphold the good parts of her father's legacy and leave the rest behind. It had never occurred to her before that she might carry the guilt and burden of his transgressions.

"You are a hero," she replied softly. "And in the end your father was, too. Hey… no, look at me. If your employees look at you and see your father, they're seeing a man who decided to sacrifice his life to make amends and do the right thing. I…" She paused, unsure how exactly to continue. "Do you feel like you still have to atone for what he did wrong?"

"Korra, of _course_ I do. Even though it was not my fault, and you're right, he did his best to make up for his mistakes... at some point, he put significant time and effort into trying to wipe out all Benders everywhere. I can never forget that, even if most of our customers are willing to overlook his past." Asami shrugged as she leaned forward and rested her elbows on her knees, chin a mere inch from the roiling water. "Sorry to bring you down with all this gloomy shop talk."

"No, it's okay!" Korra said quickly, rushing to Asami's side to embrace her. "You can talk to me about anything, always! Okay? I really mean it."

Both of them sat there for a long time, Korra rubbing her lover's shoulders and trying to think of what to say. Then, when she again spoke, she said, "I kind of know what it's like to have to live in the shadow of someone else… with all these ideas about what you should or shouldn't be. Makes it really hard to figure yourself out."

Very slowly, Asami turned and looked into Korra's blue eyes, her own brow furrowing as she thought upon that comparison. "Yeah... yeah, I guess you would, wouldn't you?" Slipping her own arm around Korra's back, she leaned into her and said, "Well, I think you did a great job. Best Avatar ever, as far as I'm concerned. Though some people might claim I'm a little biased."

"Best ever, huh?" she chuckled. "Well, I don't know about that; I honestly feel like I screwed up more stuff than I fixed. You know, I… when I was separated from Raava, I lost my connection to all my previous lives. Now every Avatar from hereon has to start from square one!"

"Hey, we don't know that's permanent," Asami tried to reassure her, turning just enough to put her free hand on Korra's far hip, to bind themselves to each other. "I mean... maybe I have no idea what I'm talking about, I'm no expert. But couldn't we search for a way to reconnect to those lost spirits? If there's anywhere to try, it's here."

Korra couldn't help but smile. "I… I guess you're right, this is the best place to start," she agreed with a bit of reluctant surprise, feeling a little more at peace temporarily, though maybe that was because she and Asami were pressed so close together. "Maybe Iroh would know where we ought to start. You're so clever, Asami."

Thoughts of Iroh and the Spirits were quickly banished by the closeness of her lover's body. Korra found herself moving her hips gently against Asami's, as though she could obtain the friction she craved in this way. "I'm sorry," the Avatar chuckled when she heard her lover's breath hitch in surprise. "You make me feel so… so _thirsty_ for you!"

"You got a pretty big mouthful of me less than an hour ago," she teased bashfully. How useless; she couldn't resist Korra if she tried. Both of her hands tightened around Korra's chiseled body and held her closer until their foreheads touched. "But if you want more... I'm curious about something; is it the fact that I'm not wearing anything making you so 'hungry', or something else?"

Korra grinned as their foreheads touched, as Asami held her closer. "Something else?" she laughed. "I mean, I've wanted you for so long, I don't know if I can ever get enough! It helps that you're not wearing anything, but… but it's everything, too! Your voice, your lips, your eyes…" She began kissing lightly down the edge of Asami's jaw, ever closer to her mouth. "Why?" she teased between kisses. "Are you thinking about something?"

"Just you." However, Korra's actions were definitely influencing Asami to think about something. Clearly she still wanted to play with each other's bodies, and if she had to hazard a guess as to why, it would be because only one of them had been sated before.

The hand on Korra's hip slowly began to trace small circles as lips trailed up toward other lips. It was an innocent enough gesture on its own, but other things were promised. Things that would give the heat of the water a run for its money. Korra grinned and sighed with approval at the caressing.

"Mmmm, I love kissing you," she groaned. "I could kiss you forever."

"Hopefully you will," Asami breathed between kisses. She'd never get over how soft Korra's lips were, yet how firmly she used them. That might just have been her favourite contradiction. After another minute or so, she decided to test the waters by reaching back and giving one cheek a light squeeze.

When Korra felt Asami's hand cup her firm rear, the Avatar gave a low groan and returned the favor. She squeezed both cheeks and pulled their hips together more firmly, kissing with a little more force. "That feels… g-gooood..." she all but purred as she felt manicured nails scratching lightly at her ass.

The compliment gave Asami a bit more courage to go further. Her other hand lowered to begin gliding up and down her outer thigh, stroking it with great relish. How did she keep it this rock-hard all the time? Must be one of those benefits of being the Avatar. No matter; what she wanted was to enjoy the results, not debate about the cause.

"Does it? How about this?" she purred lightly.

"Yesss," Korra whispered, shivering a little as Asami's hand ghosted over her thigh. Her powerful muscles tensed with anticipation, and she strengthened her grip on her lover's rear. "I- I love it when you touch me," she whispered. "Nnn… Asami..."

That was all the encouragement Asami needed to go for the goal. Biting at Korra's lip, she slowly manoeuvred the hand around the thigh until she was touching the inside of it. Then, steeling herself for the thing she had never thought she might do, she slid it upward until she just brushed Korra's folds.

Korra didn't think Asami would be so eager to touch her so intimately, but she certainly wasn't complaining. The moment she felt those long fingers brushing against her outer folds, she gave a low gasp and bit gently on her lip. "Ohhhh…" she sighed quietly.

"Mmmh," Asami echoed her, knowing now just how fantastic that felt. So Korra was equally pleased with the sensation, was she? Feeling bolder, she began to stroke up toward the clit and then backward, very slowly and with medium pressure. "Is... is this okay?"

Korra gave a small cry when Asami's fingers parted her folds and went straight for her clit, brushing very cautiously over the sensitive nub. Little waves of pleasure rolled through her hips, and she rocked back against Asami's hand. "AH! Aaa-a-h… mmmm yeah, definitely okay!"

A nervous laugh made Asami seem as if she didn't want to continue, but she truly did; she wanted to make Korra feel the way she did amongst the grass. Sensing her body movements and taking them as signposts, she began to dip in more with each pass along her soft lips, the swirling waters playing with her sense of touch. Her other hand, meanwhile, dug harder into her supple cheek; it was good to have that less-vulnerable flesh to hang onto.

Korra never took her eyes away from Asami's as she explored her. She could tell the less-experienced woman was trying to get her bearings, to figure out the way Korra would respond to her touch. Each time she pushed her finger farther Korra gave a sharp intake of breath; and each time she pulled it back, a soft, needy whine. When she felt fingernails clinging harder against her rear, she tangled her own fingers into Asami's hair, pulling her in for a hungry kiss.

"Don't stop," she whispered against her lips briefly. "That's so good…"

"Hmmhmmh!" Asami moaned into her mouth as she began to flutter her fingers faster. As she spurred herself to dip one all the way inside, feeling soft ridges and a dampness that had nothing to do with the hot spring.

Korra felt so perfect inside. It was the only word that could describe how she was to her: perfect. All she wanted was to stay in there, to join more of herself to her friend. Her lips kneaded at Korra's as her hand writhed inside, and she was so happy that she felt tears pricking her eyes again. Despite being in a world literally made of spirits, this was the most magical thing happening there that day.

When Asami entered her cautiously with one finger, Korra's eyes shot open with a surprised smile. Her new lover just kept on impressing and surprising her with her boldness. Holding Asami's gaze again, she rocked her hips in sync with her careful motions. "Nnnnnh, yessss... Two! I- I mean, you can try using two..."

"O-okay!" Asami stuttered in bewilderment. She had thought she was doing quite well... but obviously Korra had previous experience, and she also didn't feel as tight as she herself felt around Korra's finger.

Adjusting her stance in the water, she drew out gently, added another finger into the mix, and slowly began to ease them both inside. This, she could not do quickly, no matter how much they both would want her to; if she hurt Korra in that area, she could never forgive herself.

Korra gave a long, satisfied sigh as Asami began steadily easing two fingers inside her on the next thrust. Her instinct was to grab the other woman's hand and push her inside quickly; but she'd scared and pushed Asami enough today, she decided. So Korra let her move slowly, savoring every inch of space as she filled her.

"That's so good, Asami..." she reassured her softly. "Y-you're a natural at this."

Whether or not she really meant it, those words made Asami's heart soar. This act that was so foreign to her, so new and untested... she was a natural? As her fingers pushed all the way into the warm depths of her lover, she kissed the corner of her mouth afresh, thinking it was more important that she give Korra room to breathe than to engage their lips again.

And Korra did seek to capture Asami's lips as they neared the corner of her mouth, but it occurred to her to let her lips remain unattached, so the other woman could hear the noises she made. She wanted Asami to know what she did to her, how good she made her feel. Once Asami's fingers were deep inside, Korra began rolling her hips steadily against them, never letting go of Asami's hair.

"Nnnn-nn-nah! Yes! F-Feels so good..."

The aching at her roots helped ground Asami in reality, rather than letting her drift, to give in fully to listening to Korra and forget to do her part. If she held still, her partner would probably reach orgasm all on her own... but it would not do for her to be that passive. She wanted them both to create that pleasure together.

"Yeah?" she panted as her fingers began to curl very slightly with every thrust. "You love that, don't you? You want me to... do this harder?"

When Asami spoke to her, Korra's eyes shot wide. She loved the sound of her voice, low and raw with desire, and her boldness in challenging the Avatar to speak about her pleasure. "Y-Yeah!" Korra replied happily, her voice strained. "Y-Yes, yes! I dooo..." She rocked her hips a little more firmly against Asami's fingers to drive the point home, going so far as to wrap one leg around her hip and hold her close.

Feeling Korra's leg angling around her back was so good, so intimate, that between it and her sounds and what they were doing in the first place, Asami felt her own desire rising again — not to a fiery passion such as before, but just enough so that she could tell she was no longer fully sated. Not to the degree she had been lying in the meadow, before their impromptu jog. For now, it was more than enough that Korra be pleasured, that her thrusting digits continued to drive her past the normal and into the heights of passion.

"I'm close," Korra whimpered, as she used her leg for leverage and rocked firmly against each thrust of Asami's fingers. Asami was a quick learner; she'd found just the right spot and was touching it just the right way! "I-I-I'm… I'm s-so… nnnNNNN- _NNAHH!"_

The Avatar gave a loud cry as her lover's fingers pushed her over the edge. She bucked hard against her hand for a moment before tensing all over like a spring, and then trembling when that tension was finally released. Them she gave a long, low moan and captured Asami's lips again, kissing her slowly and lazily.

It was almost gratefully that Asami moaned back, let her appreciation for their activities be known. Maybe she was less at ease with her sexuality than Korra was, but it did not at all reflect on how much she loved her.

And then she giggled very quietly as she curiously began to flex her fingers back and forth, testing Korra's insides. Was she through? How would it feel right after a climax?

"H-Hey, that tickles! Too tight!" she said with a laugh, gently pushing Asami's hand away. Never breaking their shared gaze, Korra took Asami's hand by the wrist and brought it up to her face. First she kissed the center of her palm, letting her lips linger there a long while. Then she took the two fingers that pleasured her into her mouth and she gently sucked them clean, before placing one more kiss on the tip of each finger.

Even though the water must have washed away some of the essence, Asami still blinked in surprise at how willing Korra was to devour what was left. She was so laidback about everything, so ready to take on any challenge. She truly was marvellous. Why did she want to be with someone so reserved and dull?

"You..." Again, heat bloomed in her body, but she continued to force it down. "You're so incredible. You know that?"

Korra gave a short burst of laughter before pulling Asami into a warm embrace. "Yeah? Well you're pretty incredible, too."

There was a brief silence, and then Korra heard a rustling in the forest. She raised her head and looked over Asami's shoulder. To her surprise, she saw the six-armed deer they'd been chasing. It was standing right at the edge of the trees, looking her in the eye as it held their clothes in its many hands. Then, it dropped them, and turned back towards the forest.

"Oh!" Asami said in mild surprise as she watched it scamper away. "That was... easy. All we had to do was wait for it to come back to us, I suppose."

"It's almost like it planned this for us..." Korra murmured, before realizing that it was completely plausible. There was no telling what the Spirits might decide to do. Korra moved to the edge of the pool to take a look at their clothes. They were all intact and unharmed, except for most of Asami's. Everything but her shirt and shoes had pretty much been ruined.

"Hmmhh," Asami breathed as she pushed her front up against Korra's smooth back. It was like clinging to a rock face, so firm were her muscles. "Guess I'm going to have to go without. Or make some new ones. Unless you want to make a run back to Republic City for me?"

"What, you didn't bring any spare clothes?" she asked incredulously. The day when Asami and the guys had temporarily moved to Air Temple Island immediately came to mind. Asami had brought enough clothes to dress a fashionable, rich army. "I mean, even I packed a..." She paused, her eyes widening with realization. "You know what? I think we left our backpacks near the Portal."

"Then that's all there is to it." Turning to lean against the edge of the pool so that she might look Korra in the eyes, she shrugged both shoulders. "You can wear your clothing, I won't say you can't. But I'm not going to bother with those scraps. Just my shoes and my blouse will have to be enough for now."

Korra grinned. "Is that supposed to make me feel worse about ripping your clothes?" she teased as she stepped out of the pool and began haphazardly tugging her clothes on, not even bothering to bind her breasts or dry off. "I'm not gonna complain about you running around in just your shirt and shoes."

Asami pouted, though it was clearly meant to be playful rather than truly wounded. "Aww, I thought you'd want to 'streak' back to the portal with me. Where's that Avatar spirit?" But then she pulled herself out of the water, shaking her legs to loose most of the droplets. It had been so warm that most of it simply evaporated on the open air.

Korra laughed. "Avatar spirit, huh? I'd like to ask Avatar Aang if he ever thought about streaking through the Spirit World." Then she paused. "I'd probably do it, if I wasn't afraid Iroh might wander by. In the Spirit World you kind of just bump into people, you know?"

"Oh, so I'm supposed to be fine with that, though?!" When Korra only shrugged, Asami picked up her ruined brassiere and used the elastic to whip Korra's firm rear end, prompting a half-surprised, half-amused squeak from the normally-relaxed Avatar. Not that it changed their situation any.

~ o ~

Soon thereafter, the two of them were as clothed as they could be and traipsing through the woods, searching for the clearest and quickest path. Asami tried not to blush when she noticed Korra intentionally falling behind so she could stare at her inadequately-covered posterior, but she couldn't help it; this was not something she was used to experiencing.

In fact... much though she loathed to admit it, even to herself, it was turning her on. Yes, this was Korra's fault for being so consumed with her own lust that she forgot clothing doesn't mend itself, and she ought to be more upset, but how could she be? They had both enjoyed themselves immensely thus far. And knowing Korra was ogling her hindquarters, probably thinking naughty thoughts about them, only served to rekindle the flames she had sated in the meadow. Which, naturally, was making the walk progressively more difficult.

Therefore, it was with some relief that Asami spotted the portal from the edge of the forest once they came to it — and with some surprise that she discovered it was only a few minutes away.

"That's... we shouldn't be this close. I thought it would take far longer to get back there on foot. Days, even!"

"I'm actually not too surprised," the Avatar said with a very casual shrug. She had been so absorbed in the hypnotizing motion of Asami's hips that she barely even noticed when the forest ended abruptly. Only when her lover said something did she even glance up to take a look around. "I mean, it's the Spirit World. This kind of stuff is why it's impossible to make a map, I guess."

Peering around the green and purple field in the light of the Portal, Korra spotted their backpacks beneath a tree nearby, right where they'd left them after sleeping. They looked to be untouched. "See? We don't have to go streaking after all."

"Thank God," Asami sighed as they hiked up the hill. "It was fun for a while, but I'd be a lot more comfortable in some adequate clothing." However, when she was halfway to the packs, she noticed Korra lagging behind again. "H-hey!"

"Heh. Sorry," Korra offered lamely, jogging for a moment to catch up with Asami. "Can you blame me? It's a great view."

When they reached the packs, Korra unzipped hers and immediately retrieved a bag of seal jerky. Even with all the exotic food she'd been able to try in Republic City, she still preferred Water Tribe food above most other things. "I'm starving," she said as she tore into a large piece. "Want some? I got plenty."

"Er... no thank you," Asami told her politely as she opened her pack and began to rifle through it for her clothing. She would of course have some in order to survive, but the leathery meat was not something she found appetising. "Maybe there will be some wild game we can cook fresh around here?"

Korra raised an eyebrow. "I don't know about that… pretty much everything that lives here is a Spirit. I don't think you can kill and eat Spirits. And even if you could, that would be a really awful thing to do." Gesturing to the bird and butterfly Spirits that inhabited the meadow around them, Korra explained, "Tenzin says that every Spirit has its own thing that it represents in our world. So if any Spirit is destroyed, something falls out of balance."

Asami stopped her searching to look up at her apologetically. "I'm sorry, I guess I wasn't thinking... of course everything here is a Spirit. Nevermind then."

"It's okay!" Korra said quickly. She hadn't begrudged her the comment. "You've never been here before. Just a few years ago, I probably would have thought the same thing."

A long time passed in silence. Korra munched on her jerky with one hand and placed her other arm around Asami, quietly enjoying her company as she sated her hunger. Then after a while, something occurred to her. "Are you… really tired? Like all of a sudden, I feel exhausted." She gave her a knowing smile. "I guess you wore me out."

"Actually I'm not," Asami laughed as she finally managed to find underpants. "For some reason, that hot spring seemed to invigorate me. But I could probably nap if you wanted to."

Korra was a bit shocked, but she shrugged. "Okay. You don't have to nap if you don't want to, but I'd love for you to lay with me while I sleep." She opened up her bag again and laid out her blanket roll, then kicked off her boots and wriggled in. Holding the top layer up, she smiled at Asami and patted the spot beside her.

Chuckling quietly to herself, Asami stepped into her underwear and pulled them up as she walked over, reclining next to her partner — though on top of the blankets. Then she began to stroke Korra's hair with the hand not holding up her own head.

"We've had an... eventful day. To say the least."

Korra snuggled comfortably against Asami and sighed. "Yeah," she chuckled. "'Eventful' is a good word. I'm not gonna lie, I've been waiting to have you all to myself like this for a very, _very_ long time." She grinned like a fool before realizing how cocky that sounded. "I mean 'hoping'! Not waiting — I never assumed you'd be mine, I promise!"

"Stop worrying," Asami chuckled softly. "I knew what you meant. But… I'm glad your hopes came true."

Pressing her lips against Asami's cheek, she breathed, "Me too. More than you can ever imagine."

It didn't take long at all for Korra to drift off asleep. The warmth of her lover's body, and the gentle fingers combing through her hair, were the most soothing lullaby she'd ever had. In fact, it lulled Asami to rest, as well. Not to fall asleep, but she did allow her mind to drift as she lay back, watching the multicolour clouds drift past in the Spirit World sky. It was gorgeous. Everything around her was gorgeous and flawless.

Especially the woman next to her. When she thought about how much Korra meant to her, about how close they had become despite their circumstances — and a few errant boys who got in the way. How fortunate they were! This was everything she wanted in life.

And with those thoughts in mind, she finally relaxed into the same nap as the one beside herself. There was no hurry in the Spirit World. However, perhaps if they had noticed the spirits lingering near the edge of their makeshift camp, they might have moved on before laying down to rest.

~ To Be Continued ~


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> CHAPTER WARNINGS: mystical possession, magical g!p, fellatio, clothes-ripping, penetrative sex, clouded judgment, congress of the cow (AKA, doggy style), biting, scratching, possessive talk, aaaaand dubious consent.
> 
> NOTES: Sorry for the delay! This chapter has a scene that might be potentially triggering to anyone who's ever been in a "dubious consent" situation, or had sex while under the influence of mind/mood altering substances (or with someone who was). Just letting you know.
> 
> Also, part of the delay might be because... Cartesian and I are working on more stuff. Details to come eventually!

When Korra woke, not knowing how long she had been out, she was rather shocked to see Asami asleep beside her. She'd thought Asami said she wasn't tired... but no matter. This was nice. Never did she have any kind of problem being snuggled up against the side of the warm and inviting Miss Sato.

She was just about to turn over and put her arm around her lover when she heard a soft stirring nearby. Rolling in the opposite direction, Korra was shocked and infuriated to see that their packs had been torn open, and all manner of little rodent-like Spirits were invading their food supplies! The little beasts were just finishing up the last bits of their food — _all_ of their food. Korra's seal jerky and seaweed dumplings had been reduced to nothing more than crumbs, as had whatever food Asami had in her bag. It was all unrecognizable now.

"Hey!" Korra shouted, springing to her feet. She rushed over to the bags and gently, but enthusiastically, shooed away the little rodent-Spirits. "Do you have any idea who I am? That was the _Avatar's_ food you stole!"

Asami stirred and sat up very slightly, squinting against the unwelcome light. "Wha... hmmh? What happened?"

"Spirits ate our food!" Korra exclaimed, looking positively dejected. "It's all gone!" She picked up her torn bag and shook it for emphasis, dumping out clothes, but no food. "And I'm hungry!"

"Oh no!" Asami half-blurted as she attempted to sit up better. Her head was so fuzzy, and it had never felt like that before. "What's... damn, what are we going to do?"

Korra gave a frustrated grunt as she threw her ruined backpack onto the ground with a much louder _thud_ than a backpack ought to make. Then she crossed her arms. "I guess… I'm just going to have to find us something to eat. There was fruit here earlier, right? I bet there's some still around here somewhere…"

"Okay, that's... yeah, you can do that. I'll try to get our things together, see what can be salvaged." As she finally managed to stand up, she laughed. "And... I guess I'll put on some pants. Forgot about that part."

"Good idea," said Korra, already squinting around in the distance for someplace that might be good to search. "I won't be long. Maybe…" Her eyes widened as she spotted a place in the far distance where some of the trees seemed to be speckled with many colors. "I think there might be some stuff over there, okay? Be right back."

The Avatar gave Asami a quick squeeze and a kiss on the cheek before spinning herself an Air-scooter ball and speeding off towards the colorful trees. She was only showing off a little, she rationalized; there were much showier things she could have done to get from Point A to Point B…

But Asami only snorted as she picked up her own bag and checked the ravaged contents. There were a few shreds in every single garment inside; most of them were quite easily repairable, but others were a loss. Oh well. While she waited, she began the slow process of sorting them into two piles.

~ o ~

Korra had been right about the trees in the distance. They were somewhat of a trek — she could just barely see Asami from there, even though it was a direct path — but it didn't take her long to arrive by Air-scooter. And just as she'd suspected, they were filled with the wonderful fruits they had found before. Why they were here and not where they made their campsite, Korra didn't know. Maybe the Spirits who liked to eat them didn't live out here, she supposed — or had moved away from their "campsite" out of respect, and the trees had followed. Anything was possible.

As the Avatar gathered the many fruits of the trees, she was being watched by a force unknown to her. A Spirit of a very peculiar nature had been watching and following her and her lover since they arrived in the Spirit World. If they could have seen it, they probably would have found its countenance rather pornographic; but it stayed out of their attention by remaining invisible as it observed them. Their energy, their chemistry together, was strong… and it wanted to experience that firsthand. The Avatar presented it with a rare opportunity, for her body could accommodate the habitation of a Spirit in a way no other human's could…

~ o ~

Once Korra was satisfied that she'd found enough odd fruits to make a meal, she took off the fur she wore around her hips and slung them in it like a bindle. As she swung the makeshift bag over her shoulder, she thought she saw a flash of movement out of the corner of her eye. But the movement was gone. For a brief second she felt as though something was touching her, fighting to push her down toward the ground… and then it was gone. She spun around, frantic to spot any glimpse of the creature and to attack if it meant her harm. Nothing.

 _It's the Spirit World,_ Korra told herself as she tried to shake off the strange feeling she had. _Weird stuff happens here._

Because she couldn't make an Air-scooter with only one hand, and her other as occupied with the bag of fruit, Korra opted to jog back to their campsite. All the way back, she thought about how Asami would be waiting for her at the end of her brief journey. She couldn't wait to see her lover's smile again, to feel her arms around her… and just thinking of her sensual beauty made Korra's lust flare up again. She thought back to their lovemaking the day before, how Asami's fingers had felt moving inside her, the taste of her juices as Korra pleasured her with her mouth. Her heart swelled with pride, and she stepped with a little more swagger as she reminded herself that only she had ever done that for Asami.

And yet… that didn't feel like enough. Apropos of nothing else, Mako's face flashed into Korra's mind, and she frowned. Mako was her friend! She hadn't borne him ill will for his history with Asami in a long time! Yet somehow, she couldn't shake her displeasure at the fact that he'd beat her to everything else. He'd been Asami's first kiss. He'd held her hand before Korra. He'd touched and held her before Korra…

By the time Asami came into Korra's view again, the Avatar had gotten herself worked up into quite a tizzy. Though she looked to be herself, her eyes were set with determination, and her cheeks were flushed for multiple reasons. As she approached, she saw the raven-haired beauty bent over their bedroll. She'd fixed up their campsite, and now she was sorting through Korra's clothing… on her hands and knees. Best of all, she had found new underwear, but still wasn't wearing any pants. Perfect.

Grinning lewdly, Korra placed the bag of fruit quietly on the ground and snuck up behind her. Then she knelt down and, without any warning, gave her ass a firm squeeze. "I'm back!"

"AH!" Asami gasped out, eyes going wide — but not for long. There were no other humans to do such a lewd thing. Laughing and intentionally flexing the muscle that Korra's fingertips were gouging into, she barely spared her a glance over her shoulder as she said, "Okay, so you're back. Any luck?"

"Oh yeah, tons of luck," replied Korra, gesturing casually to the bag of fruit she'd placed on the ground. Then she bent forward and wrapped her arms around Asami's waist, pressing their bodies together. "I've been really lucky this whole vacation, and I'm kind of in the mood to get luckier…" She gently rocked her hips forward against Asami's rear end, taking a deep whiff of her hair.

Another giggle as Asami's hands slipped off the bedroll. This one was slightly more bashful than the last, but no less pleased. "Not right now, I'm trying to wrap up camp and see which of our clothes aren't useless scraps of fabric. What kind of food did you find us?"

Korra frowned and gave a playful little grunt. "Fruits," she replied. "Like the ones from yesterday." But she didn't let go of Asami's waist. She brushed her hair out of the way with her nose, and then proceeded to kiss the soft, pale skin at the nape of her neck. "Why bother with the bedroll? We're gonna mess it up again anyway..."

"Oh, are we?" she asked as she slid her hands over Korra's hands on her own waist, leaning her head to one side. "We... really should eat, but..."

But Korra felt phenomenal, as always. As soon as Asami hesitated and trailed off, Korra reached up and gently turned Asami's head, nibbling ever so lightly at her throat. She couldn't forget how much had transpired the day before, or how it had felt to have the Avatar's eyes tracking every movement of her hips. She didn't voice any of those things, but they were running through her mind as she felt the thrusting up against her obviously-desired rear.

"I missed you while I was gone," Korra sighed against her skin. "I know it wasn't long, but…I thought about you the whole time! Your soft skin… the noises you make! I- I can't get them out of my head!" Then she reached down for Asami's hand and began moving it towards her own thigh. "I bet I'm already wet for you…"

"Korra," she breathed in some surprise. This was even stronger than she'd come on before, and that included both of them naked in the hot spring! But she couldn't deny she wanted to know...

Slowly, her hand trailed down and began to stroke her thigh through her trousers. "What did you want me to do for you if you are?"

"I _know_ I am," Korra corrected firmly, her hand wandering back up to cup Asami's breast through her silk blouse. "Mmmm, I want you to touch me… like you did yesterday, in the water."

A small moan came from Asami at the groping. So primal, even compared to Korra's usual blunt finesse. Despite her distaste for operating on instinct rather than thought, it was speaking to a less evolved part of herself. Heating her up. Making her want more.

Her own thighs twitching, she reached up to the top of Korra's waistband and slid her hand down underneath. Down, down past the brown curls to the sweet opening beneath, which she only had to touch for an instant.

"You really are wet," Asami whispered, legitimately surprised. That was an understatement; the Avatar was soaked through! Noise emanated from how the fingers touched her. "Wow... this much, from thinking about me?"

"Yessss," Korra groaned as she was touched. "See? All for you…" As she rocked her hips forward into Asami's hand, her lover's finger brushed her clit. A powerful jolt of pleasure rocked her body, and the sensitive bud throbbed almost painfully. _"Unnnnh,_ Asami…!"

"You seem to like that," Asami half-teased, half said earnestly. Why shouldn't she? After all, when Korra did that for her, the sensations had been beyond her wildest dreams. Raising her hand slightly, her fingers began to ply at the nub, stroking along its sides and swirling around it in tiny circles. It was so rigid compared with the rest of Korra's softness, and she somehow really appreciated the counterpoint.

Which Korra also noticed; her clit felt even more sensitive than usual and any words she tried to form were drowned out by a low groan. As her hips bucked forward on instinct, she had the strangest sensation… as though her clit were swelling quickly between Asami's fingers.

" _W-w-WHOAhhhh,"_ she moaned. "W-What are you doing?!"

Asami had noticed, as well. "Nothing _I'm_ doing, I swear! H-have you ever been this way before?" It was almost as if the clit were growing in length from being so aroused. And yes, they did that — to a degree. But not usually to _this_ degree.

Then a few more rubs passed, and she could feel it wasn't just that. The nub was slowly coming to push up against her palm, and then trailing up until it grazed her wrist. As Asami stroked her clit, the throbbing nub was quickly becoming… something else. So afraid was she to look down toward this phenomenon that she merely pulled back and stared into Korra's eyes with shock as she caressed the growing mass of hot flesh.

When she felt the sensitive tip of it move up to the top of her palm, Korra had to know. This was too weird; she couldn't _not_ look. One frightened glance from Asami told her she was thinking something similar, so Korra pulled back, grabbed the drawstring of her pants, and helped them fall down around her knees… and what she saw between her legs made her jaw drop.

She had a _penis._ A real one, just like Mako's! Well, perhaps not _just_ like his; this was slightly bigger, and suited to the color of her own skin.

"HOLY SHIT!" Korra all but shrieked, once she found her voice. "What… what the hell?!"

Meanwhile, all Asami could do was gape openly. It couldn't be real. No way in all the four tribes could it be! But when she reached out a tentative hand and touched a single fingertip to the side, and it only swayed back and forth convincingly, she drew back and covered her mouth with her hand.

"Korra! It's- you have a- how is this happening?!"

That single, tiny touch upon the strange organ now protruding from where her clit had once been made Korra groan low in her chest… almost like an animal growl. "NNNnnngrrh… I-I don't know!" she stammered breathlessly. "W-weird stuff happens in the Spirit World!"

Even while Korra tried to dwell on exactly what was happening, or why, a thought occurred to her. This was an opportunity she might never have again. Just a few minutes ago, she'd been jealously seething over the idea that Mako had given Asami her first kiss… but now she could claim her lover in a way that even Mako hadn't, in a way neither of them could have expected.

"You know," Korra panted, tentatively reaching out to grasp her new appendage. "S-s-sometimes weird Spirit stuff can be pretty cool…" Then she looked up and grinned suggestively at Asami.

For the first time in recent memory, even though her cheeks were slightly rosy, Asami looked somewhat annoyed with her companion. "Oh, come on! You can't expect me to… Korra, this isn't natural! Who knows what would happen if you… if we were t-to…"

But watching Korra stroke it idly was somehow mesmerising. Not that she had expected to care one way or the other, but the fact that watching this made her feel desire was indeed startling. It felt like a setback, since she had just barely allowed herself to accept that she was going to be with a woman. And now this!

"I might never get this chance again," Korra whispered lustily, only half-listening to Asami's misgivings. She gripped her lover's rear and pulled their hips close together, sandwiching the throbbing shaft between them. Korra gave a low groan and sighed, "This must be a blessing from the Spirits. Please… I've got to feel what it's like to really be inside you!" She began making a tight trail of kisses down Asami's jaw and throat. "I've got to make you mine, like nobody else ever could…"

The solid feeling there helped dispel Asami's lingering hope that it might not be real. In the end, it was still Korra, of course, but the fact that it had sprung up literally in her own hand disturbed her somewhat. How could this change have taken place? From where? Had it been one of the many fruits Korra gathered?

"Listen, I don't know," Asami said, the tone of her voice betraying just how unsure she was about Korra's proposal. "What if it does something strange to me? I mean, it's not a natural organ! What if it spreads, and I grow one, too?"

"Trust me, it doesn't hurt or anything!" Korra's frown was almost pathetic. "Awwww, Asami… _pleeeeease?_ What if I never get this chance again and we don't take it? I'll never know what it's like to be inside you… and you may never know what it's like to feel me in there!" She began rocking her hips gently against Asami's, grinding her stiff, new cock between them. "I need you so bad…"

It wasn't that Asami's misgivings vanished, or that she really wanted to do what they were about to do. That wasn't the case. It was her body responding to the pressure of the length trapped between their bodies, to Korra's sounds that echoed in her bones.

"But… I'm…" Her hand trailed down and her fingertips pressed into the side of Korra's new arousal as it thrusted up against her lower abdomen. "Korra, h-how are you like this? And how are you so hard?"

Korra gave another low groan as Asami touched her throbbing shaft. "I-I… b-bet it's because the Spirit World changes with your feelings!" she threw out there as a wild guess, sounding way more confident than she really was. "Yeah, probably happened because I was so horny for you to begin with…"

Holding Asami in place with one hand on her soft, round ass, Korra plunged her hand into the other woman's underwear and drew a finger across her entrance. "Look, you're wet already," she whispered. "Don't deny us this, Asami… I want so badly to be inside you! I want to make you mine!"

"K-Korra!" The gasp was equal parts arousal and alarm. Everything was moving so fast, and she felt a panic... but the wetness didn't lie. She was terribly, horribly in need of another orgasm, and was rapidly becoming willing to do whatever Korra wanted to make that happen.

As Asami's hips began to shift against the finger, she wrapped her hand more solidly around Korra's new appendage, stroking it hard. Her hand glided over it with relative ease, breath coming faster and faster. Korra had still been teasing Asami's entrance, but when her delicate hand began to move, Korra needed to hang onto something. She reached up and gripped Asami's hair with both hands.

"Ohhhh Spirits!" she moaned. "Asami! That… feels… so good!" She bucked her hips as her cock twitched and throbbed in her lover's hand.

That was when the dynamic began to shift more. Korra's powerful hands wound into her mane made Asami shiver with a delight she didn't fully understand, but it also made her begin to sink lower and lower as she stroked the cock. First her face was pushed into her chest, and she could see nothing but blue fabric. An instant later...

A thick length was thrusting up, directly into her face. Even though she had scarcely ever seen one, let alone one this aroused and close up, she still found herself thinking it was perfect. A glorious specimen for any male, despite the fact that it was attached to her girlfriend. And in spite of her mild revulsion that she was so close to it, she also felt drawn downward yet more, to inspect it, to decide how she felt about the whole situation.

Korra's moans grew in volume as Asami stroked longer and harder on her shaft, making her throb painfully in her soft palm. Now that she was at eye level with the new appendage, a wonderful image appeared in the Avatar's mind. Normally, she would have debated it back and forth, but all of her higher thinking had been suspended by this unique experience.

"Use your mouth?" she bade her breathlessly, pulling her just a little closer to the firm cock, until it brushed against her red lips.

It was pure reflex for Asami to go "Nnnhh!" in an offended tone, to try to shrink back — only to feel that her head did not go back at all. Korra was holding her in place; not pushing further down, but also not allowing her to back off. To retreat from the warm, salty head pressing up against her lips. All she had to do was sit there with her mouth closed and there would be no true problem.

But the curiosity that burned inside her wouldn't allow for that. As Korra kept reminding her, it was either now or never — unless one of them cheated on the other, and neither one of them was the type to do such a thing. What if it wasn't as bad as she thought it would be? What if she liked it?

Closing her eyes and saying a silent prayer to the spirits that she wouldn't regret it in the morning, Asami Sato parted her lips and pressed her tongue up against the underside of the shaft.

Korra barely registered Asami's hesitation before she felt her soft, warm tongue stroking her. It twitched against the sensation, and Korra's fingers tightened in Asami's hair. "Asami!" she groaned. "Oh, Spirits, yessss…do that again!"

Hearing Korra's pleasure helped quell Asami's own fears over the possible consequences. Sighing, she continued to lick along the shaft's underside, then up onto the sides alternately. It was so rich and pungent, and held a hint of the Korra scent she usually knew but also something else entirely. Eventually, she began to stroke very slowly as her lips and tongue toyed with the head. Anything to help her lover.

" _Yeeeahhh,"_ Korra hissed, eyes fluttering closed as Asami continued moving her tongue along the thick shaft. Her fingers twitched and tugged gently at her lover's hair. Then she felt those soft red lips on the very tip, and she opened her eyes to see them forming a perfect 'O' around the end of her new cock. Between that and her hand pumping the length, Korra trembled with the effort it took not to thrust into her mouth.

Feeling Korra holding back was the only thing that helped Asami continue. Otherwise, she wouldn't have been able to handle the situation. But now she had a new goal: to make her partner climax with this strange thing as soon as possible.

"Mmmhh," she moaned around the tip as she took it all the way into her mouth, caressing every side with her tongue as her hand shot up and down along the rest. Once she got past the flavour and the concept, this was no more difficult than using her fingers before. Not really.

Korra felt her pleasure spike as Asami increased her efforts. She couldn't last much longer, she knew, and she thought about telling Asami to stop so they could do more; but she had no experience holding back a male orgasm, and her release came far too soon.

Without any warning she lost control and waves of fire coursed through her body. As her whole form tensed, she held Asami firmly in place, shooting her essence into her warm mouth. She panted softly for a moment before pulling back just far enough to see a thread of come sticking between the tip of her shaft and Asami's lip.

And Asami's expression was purely stunned. Kneeling there in her state of semi-dress, with whitish fluid beginning to bubble out from between the lips she had so expertly used, she could do nothing but blink, one hand still perched on the recently-emptied shaft. What had she just done?

To Korra's surprise, her release didn't make her lust abate. Unlike a real man's, her cock didn't go limp after finishing. Instead, she felt as though she needed more still — as though the incredible favor Asami had done her was just a teaser or warmup. She grabbed her lover by the shoulders and yanked her up into a forceful kiss, all but devouring her lips.

Asami scarcely had time to try processing the surprise and mild displeasure at the presence of so much fluid in her mouth before Korra was kissing her deeply, literally sharing it. How could she object now? Her misgivings a moment ago had mostly been about being used as a place for Korra to deposit that unwanted seed when she was finished, but the pure desire and passion of the kiss dispelled that worry - especially since now neither of them were exempt from tasting the essence. Clearly, Korra loved her, even if she was showing it rather forcefully today.

And then there was the other thought she could not rid herself of as their tongues entwined, trapping the thick juices there: she had just orally pleasured her lover. When she had a man's cock. It sounded so dirty, and yet hadn't been too bad at all. Merely different from anything she had ever done, including those activities of the day before. At least this made twice she had been able to satisfy her lover.

Or did it? As they kissed, Asami still felt its tip gouging into her hip, ready as ever. The literature had said they went flaccid after ejaculation. Was that a lie? Or was this merely further evidence of Korra's mystical nature? As she opened her mouth wider still, her hand wandered down and encircled it anew, hoping to either help her a second time or prove that she was not interested.

When Asami's hand wrapped around her cock again, it felt even harder than before, throbbing even more insistently. It was as though her previous climax had only worked her up more. Her hand felt good, but…

"That's not enough," Korra growled breathlessly, grabbing Asami's wrist and pulling it away from her painfully engorged shaft — which was missed, but that was a necessary evil. "I need you," she gasped. "I need to be inside you."

Before she could answer, Korra grabbed Asami around the waist and swept her off her feet, laying her down on the freshly-made bedroll and pinning her wrists above her head. Then she forced her legs apart, laid down almost on top of her, and grabbed her blouse by the collar. A quick yank was all it took for the buttons to pop off and fly everywhere, and Korra wasted no time leaning down to nibble roughly at her throat and breasts.

Several gasps of alarm punctuated these proceedings. Asami couldn't believe how rough Korra was being, how primal… but it was also fanning the flames of her own urges. How could she want this? It wasn't even a natural erection, and yet it had felt so real under her hand, inside her mouth… up against her pubis as it rubbed through the material of her undergarment. Every time Korra's lips fell to her skin, she felt her heart skip over a beat, her mind spinning. Now she was going to lose her virginity all over again — in another way.

"Korra, wait," she panted madly as teeth raked down her stomach. "AH! I... are you s-sure this is even safe?! You look enormous, is- is that going to _fit?!"_

"Of course it will," Korra replied with a lusty laugh. "That's what it's made for!" Then she grabbed Asami's underwear and tore them off of her, making that the second pair she'd ruined that day. Before Asami could complain, Korra began to mount her, leaning over her body and rubbing her shaft against the outside of her heated sex.

"Ohhh Spirits," she sighed breathlessly. "I can already feel how wet you are…"

"And so are you," Asami grunted, averting her eyes as her cheeks burned. "From my mouth." Yes, she was already somewhat aroused from the dreams she'd been having, and all of Korra's attentions were only making it worse. It seemed the control over their proceedings was long gone from her hands.

And then panic flared up in her. What if Korra hurt her on accident in this frenzied state? What if Korra hurt herself? Digging her nails into Korra's mighty shoulders, earning a hiss from the Avatar as the bulbous head continued to glide up and down her sodden folds, she finally managed to find a trembling facsimile of her normal voice.

"Korra, p-please, before we do this, I need… just at least let me know that if I need you to stop, you'll stop! C-can you give me that much?!"

"Yeah," Korra said off-handedly with another low, growling laugh. She barely registered the anxiety in her voice, so loud was the sound of her own heart pounding in her ears. "I'll give you a lot more than that..."

Still pinning Asami to the ground with one hand, Korra reached down and began to guide the tip of her shaft into place. She gave a heated groan as the head slipped past her outer folds, making them both shudder.

Every shred of fear and concern over the consequences was replaced with a fascination at the feeling. A cock was inside of her. Not all the way inside yet, but it was past her initial perimeter. Korra's flesh was inside her, and it was warm and real. Asami's walls were being edged aside in favour of its girth, and she could feel her body beginning to welcome it in, to pull at it gently. This was meant to happen.

"Oh Korra," she breathed, voice still trembling. "Is… how does that feel for you?"

"Feels so good," Korra replied breathlessly. She was already panting just from feeling Asami's folds around the tip of her cock. "S-Sooooo good..." She let go of her shaft and continued moving slowly forward, caressing Asami's hip with her thumb. It was hard not to just thrust into her and begin pounding away; but she felt the slight resistance of her maidenhead and it reminded her how inexperienced her lover really was. She had to be gentle.

"This might hurt a little at first," whispered Korra, her voice strained. "But not for long…" Then with a deep groan, she pushed past the resistance.

Asami's entire body seized up when she felt the thin membrane rupture, when Korra buried herself all the way inside. No matter how anyone looked at it now, she was most definitely a woman.

And Korra was inside her! Once the brief pain subsided, all she felt was satisfaction: this one time, perhaps the only time, they could make love as a "normal" couple with interlocking bodies could. She'd never thought very hard about what it must be like to take a cock into herself, even when she briefly dated Mako; just seemed like something to worry about later, an unimportant detail. But it was wonderful, as wonderful as the tongue had been. The best part was that they were just getting started. What more lay in store?

"Ohhhh…" Korra moaned as her lover's body tensed around her. It felt amazing… like nothing she'd ever felt before, warm and wet and so wonderfully tight! Her body trembled with the effort it took to hold still at first. She was inside her completely, buried to the hilt; surely her lover needed time to adjust. "Ohhh, Spirits… Asami, you feel so good!"

She waited a moment longer, until she felt her relax… then she began to move. It was easier than Korra thought, moving inside her lover as a man would. She could feel every inch of Asami around her, making it simple to feel when she was almost all the way out. Then she eased her way back in, unable to contain a low, growling moan.

 _"AhhhHH!"_ Asami wailed at the curious sensation that was both the same as the fingers and so very different. Korra slid through her cleanly like a knife, and she craved more, craved not only the thickness between her inner walls but the body that pressed down on top of her. One of the hands on her shoulder moved down to her hindquarters and gripped hard, nails gouging into flesh. The sharp cry she made drove her forward as she arched her back.

"N-Now you're really mine..." the Avatar growled, leaning over Asami as she plowed into her a little more firmly. Dove in and out again, and then again. _"All_ mine..."

It was very slight, but those words sent an odd thrill of dread through Asami. They were less intimate and more possessive. As if Asami were a prize that Korra had now acquired. Licking her lips, she dug her nails in yet harder as the sheer amount of pleasure threatened to force her to black out.

"Nnnnhh!" Korra hissed through her teeth as those nails dug more firmly into her backside. "You like that?" she teased with a feral grin, eyes glinting with triumph. "You like being mine? Knowing that nobody else will make you feel this way?" As she continued thrusting she brought one hand up to squeeze Asami's breast. "Did Mako ever take you like this? Huh?" When she didn't answer quickly enough Korra gave her nipple a firm tug. _"Answer_ me!"

"AH- _OWW!"_ Asami wailed louder, gasping in shock and heat at the brutal treatment Korra was levelling in her direction, especially against her sensitive little peak. Was she playing? Were her words and attitude some elaborate game, designed to go along with the "maleness" of her current body? If so, then it wasn't nearly as offensive to her as it would have been otherwise. However, she still didn't appreciate the crack about Mako — and decided Korra needed to be told.

"What if he did?!" Asami growled out around her pants of pleasure, reaching the hand up from Korra's shoulder to wind through her hairs until she could get a solid handful. Which she did. "Would you go after him? Hurt him for having taken me before? Is that what you're saying?"

Korra had expected Asami to quickly answer to the negative… not to challenge her right back. "Maybe I would!" she growled through her teeth, thrusting harder as she grabbed Asami's wrists and pinned them to the ground above her head. Her breath came in quick grunts as her pleasure rose. "He didn't deserve you," she panted. "He never did!"

When she felt the ground thud against the backs of her hands, Asami felt another chill trip its way down her spin. She pulled against Korra's hold, but to no avail; she might be no weakling, but she was no match for the Avatar. Something about that both frightened her and aroused her to a staggering degree, made every rough thrust into her swollen sex that much hotter and sweeter. Was she losing her mind?

"Of c-course he didn't! I'm with you now! I'm all yours, Korra!" Maybe relenting would grant her back the use of her hands.

"That's right!" Korra growled as she leaned down a little more to kiss Asami roughly, before moving down and biting firmly at her throat. "All mine!"

Suddenly an idea occurred to Korra, and she acted upon it in a flash. Letting go of Asami's hands, she pulled back completely and pulled her up, spinning her around and forcing her down onto her hands and knees. Then she grabbed her hips and thrusted into her from behind with a long moan.

"Unnnnh… you're so tight like this! Nnnn- _nnnnh!_ Asami!"

The entire procedure took mere seconds, and left Asami feeling like a rag doll. The earth digging into her knees and palms reminded her that she was now in a servile position, a diminished one. But Korra's words only made her feel desirable rather than disposable. And it was true that Korra really did fill her so much more completely from this angle! How could she possibly object?

"Hmmhhh!" she gasped out as her head hung low, as the curtain of black hair obscured her vision. "Korra, it's so big — so hard! What does it feel like, having that?"

How could Korra possibly describe what it felt like? "It feels...powerful. S-strong! Nnnnnh!" A trembling shudder coursed through her body, and she knew she had to be close. But she wanted to hang on, she wanted to be inside Asami for as long as she could. Clenching her jaw with determination, she bent over Asami so their bodies were flush together, and began rolling her hips more slow and deep. As one hand gripped Asami's hip, the other wandered up to her shoulder, pulling her back against each thrust.

Sweat-slicked breasts and abdominals pressed into Asami's back, and she relished the sensation, the slow grinding of a cock deep within her. This has not been her ideal love-making situation, but she could no longer feign annoyance or displeasure. It filled her so much more than anything else ever had.

"Spirits, I… I can't believe it's so big and so deep!" Was she really saying this, after being flipped over and taken like an animal? "Take me deeper — harder!"

How could Korra deny such a request? She held Asami's hips firmly against hers as she rolled roughly against her, jerking away only to fill her completely again, over and over. The Avatar panted her lover's name in a low growl. She grabbed Asami's hair roughly and arched her neck back, biting at the tender flesh of her throat.

"Yesssss..." she groaned. "Mine… miiinnnnne…"

"KORRA!" Asami gasped out, half alarmed, half unhinged with desire. "Y-you're hurting me! I… I don't know if I like it!"

What did she mean? It was painful, of course she didn't like it. Right? The entire situation was so confusing, and the thick pole sliding in and out of her made it all but impossible to concentrate on her thoughts.

Korra barely registered Asami's voice, lost as she was in the throes of her pleasure. It was as though a thick, red cloud of lust had descended upon her, obscuring her vision and muffling all sound. All she heard was the shrill desperation in her lover's voice and the pounding of her own heart. She was close, she could feel it. Still holding firmly onto her hair, Korra bit higher on her neck whispering breathlessly in a voice very unlike her own.

"S-s-so close… A-Asami, I'm gonna… c-come inside you… Make you mine, like- like Mako _never_ will…"

The words finally registered: "come inside you". Ejaculation. Semen. Conception. _Pregnancy._

Was that why Korra was so determined to finish this way? After all, it was uncommon for men to be able to do this more than once in the same day, from what she'd heard. It wasn't enough that she was being split open by what was probably the largest cock of all time, but she also had to deal with the thought that deriving pleasure from it might have consequences. Permanent ones.

"Korra! P-please, Korra, th-this is too much, I need- I need a break b-before- before you- _KORRAAAAAAHHH!"_

The orgasm rendered her mute as far as intelligible speech was concerned. Over and over, waves of heat lashed through her body, into her fingertips and earlobes, every follicle being abused by Korra's grasping hand. Everywhere. It was more raw and primal than anything she'd ever felt in her lifetime.

Korra heard Asami scream, and she felt her climax, soft walls clamping down painfully tight around her shaft. That was enough to send her over the edge. Korra's breath caught in her throat as her whole body stiffened and trembled, and then she gave a long, feral groan, hips bucking roughly as she shot warm seed into her lover. For that perfect moment, she couldn't breathe, she couldn't think… there was nothing but Asami, hers and only hers.

She must have lost consciousness for a moment, because when Korra opened her eyes, she was lying on her back in the grass, her head swimming in post-orgasmic euphoria. Then she felt a sudden tightness in her chest, and she coughed… and to her horror, something floated out of her mouth, like the outline of a man but dark and completely transparent.

Asami was curled up foot or two away, and looked up when she heard the coughing — only to see the very same outline. The spirit turned toward her and grinned a wolfish grin, one that she could scarcely make out due to its ghostly form. Then it waved and darted off into the bushes.

"Korra," she sobbed as she wiped at her wet cheeks, "wh-what was that?"

Korra sprang to her feet, about to follow the strange form into the bushes — but she froze when she heard Asami's voice. She was… crying? The Avatar was stunned for a moment before she turned to look at her lover, curled up on the ground as though she'd been attacked…

And then everything came back to her. Tears sprang to her own eyes as she beheld bruises on Asami's hips and throat, and scratches on her back and breasts. Had she really done that?

"Asami," Korra choked, trying not to burst into sobs herself. "I-I'm sorry!" She fell to her knees and reached out as though to touch her lover. But then she pulled back, almost afraid of what might happen if she did. "I didn't mean to! All these… oh Spirits, what have I done to you?!"

"Spirits… _Spirits."_ It all made sense. Of course it was the spirits; Korra would never treat anyone the way she had just treated her. Yes, she hadn't truly been forced into it — and that was probably down to Korra's being involved. She had been forceful, not quite abusive but more callous than usual. On her own, there was no way her sweet, gentle Avatar could reduce her to mere receptacle for her climax.

"It's okay," Asami sniffled, even though she was actually crying harder now than she had been a moment earlier. "I'm… I'll be fine."

"No," Korra stammered desperately, now beginning to cry herself. "No, _no!_ It isn't okay! You had to… oh, Asami, I'm so sorry…" She inched cautiously forward to comfort Asami, caressing her arm when nothing bad happened from the initial touch. When no Spirit took over her body again. "I can't believe that… that I let… _RRRRGH!"_

Overcome with rage and hatred, both for herself and the Spirit that had possessed her, Korra stood up again. "DON'T YOU EVER COME BACK HERE!" she roared, louder than she even thought possible. "DON'T YOU DARE COME NEAR HER AGAIN! I'LL _KILL_ YOU!" On the last few words, her breath came out as a plume of fire, leaving her panting with her rage.

Asami shrank back from the intimidating display of Bending and fury. It was true that they were both upset by what had happened, but in the end, she had still been with the only person who she wanted to be with in the universe. They would both just have to move past the somewhat scary moments of this one-time union.

But Korra didn't seem to be satisfied with that fate. And that made sense; after all, she was the one who had truly been violated. Her free will had been partially compromised and she had been given a temporary appendage that didn't belong to her. None of that was okay.

Speaking of which… did Korra still have it, or did it disappear along with the Spirit? She had to know. It was going to be another matter entirely if this turned out to be an ongoing problem rather than a one-time occurrence.

When it became clear that the errant Spirit wasn't coming back, Korra's form sank a little. She had honestly hoped the thing would return so she could tear it to shreds. Then it occurred to her to check herself. She thought she might die if that thing was permanent… but thankfully, she looked down and saw her body had returned to its normal state. Grabbing her pants off the ground and tugging them on quickly, Korra returned to Asami's side, falling to her knees and pulling her into her arms.

The worst thing that could have happened in that moment did: Asami flinched. It couldn't be helped. A few seconds from the time they had finished until now was not enough time for her to shake the unwelcome sensation of being powerless. Especially when it was against her own lover.

"Korra… I'm sorry, I need a moment." Then she took several deep breaths before she pulled back to look her in those deeply blue eyes. "I need to ask again, and I need you to answer. If I ask you to stop… will you?"

"Of course!" Korra replied quickly, sobbing softly as she pulled her knees to her chest and covered her face. "Yes! I… I meant that the first time I said it! It just… I didn't mean for any of this to happen, I… I'm sorry, I… I'm so sorry..."

The Avatar fell silent, holding up her hands in front of her face and staring at them for a moment. Just a couple of years ago, she — the old Korra — would have blamed everything on the wicked Spirit. But she had to take responsibility for at least _some_ of what happened. The actions weren't truly hers, but… the feelings were.

"I'm so sorry I let this happen," Korra said hoarsely. "I should have been on my guard. But I wasn't, and the Spirit… took advantage of my darkest desires. Twisted them, and I… I'm so ashamed."

"Your darkest desires? To… to dominate me, to claim me? Or..." Asami's expression shifted to one of worry. "Or do you mean all that about Mako? Please tell me, I promise I won't be mad but I need to know what we're talking about. Are you still jealous of me having dated him before?"

"Well, k-kind of both, I guess…" Korra replied softly, averting her eyes in shame. "I mean, I'd never really hurt Mako! He's my friend! But… yeah, I guess I am still kind of jealous. And yeah, I also kind of wanted to claim you as mine, but this isn't what I meant! I just figured I could make you a piece of jewelry or something, get matching tattoos! I never wanted anything like _this_ to happen…"

Despite the tears still rolling down Asami's cheeks, a very slight smile tugged at the corner of her mouth. "I'd like that very much. Jewellery, I mean. I hope you don't forget about it." Then she cleared her throat and wiped at her face, sitting up and pressing her knees as tightly together as she could.

"And it sounds like… that Spirit takes your darkest desires and feeds them, makes you act on them in ways it finds… sickly amusing." Another shiver. "But I promise you from the bottom of my heart that I have no feelings beyond friendship for Mako anymore. Like you said, he's still a good guy, but that part of my life is over and done with. Okay?"

"I know," Korra replied softly. She inched over to Asami's side and put a gentle arm around her shoulder. "I've always trusted you about that. We're both way over him, especially now that we have each other." She took a deep breath and gave a sigh of relief. She'd honestly expected to be dumped, for ruining everything before they'd even been together for two days.

"If you want," the Avatar offered in a meek voice, "I can heal those bruises. Um… Katara taught me how."

"Can you heal..." But that would be an unkind thing to ask, and offensive to bring up at the moment. Besides, despite the circumstances, Asami still had no regrets about losing her virginity to her life partner. So she said something else instead. "Can you heal my clothes, too? Those are starting to look pretty ragged."

"Oh… sorry," the Avatar replied with regret. She had thought Asami was going to ask about her lady parts, but instead, she requested Korra fix her clothes? "I… I'm not a clothes bender, I've always been terrible at sewing and stuff like that." Resting her head on her knees, Korra gave a perplexed sigh. "I guess I will need to go back to Republic City and get some more clothes for you, but… I'm almost afraid to leave you alone after this. I had no idea Spirits like that even existed."

"It's not the absence of clothes that bothers me," Asami answered honestly. "But we can go back for a while, if you want. Then maybe we'll return in a week or so, with better provisions. More underwear."

"Yeah," Korra replied softly. "Maybe." In truth, after this, she wasn't going to complain if they stayed away from the Spirit World for a little while. What just happened had spooked her. "At least let me work on those bruises a little? You shouldn't have to go back with marks all over your neck…"

Nodding, Asami looked down at her knees. "Just… tell me if you need me to move and I will. To give you better access."

Korra nodded. "Okay. Um… lie down on the bedroll?" She retrieved her water skin, which of made of leather thick enough to survive the hungry Spirits, and extracted some of the water into her hands. "Just tell me if something doesn't feel good, okay? I promise I'll stop."

"Of course," Asami whispered, though the reassurance that Korra would, in fact, stop meant more to her than she wished it did. As she lay back, she was forced to expose herself partly, and she gazed off to the side. She couldn't look up at Korra at this moment. It was just too difficult this soon after.

It made tears spring to Korra's eyes again when she smiled at Asami and her lover couldn't even look at her. She had to redeem herself, by any means possible. Asami was everything to her.

"It's okay," Korra whispered in a shaky voice, gently stroking Asami's hair with the palm of her hand. "I won't ever treat you like that. I will never, _ever_ let that happen again as long as I live."

Then, taking her water into both hands, she bent it towards the dark bruises on her lover's hips and began carefully soothing them away. Korra moved the water with the utmost care, doing her best to keep it comfortably warm. "Is that alright?" she whispered.

"Of course it is," Asami said, trying to sound a lot braver than she felt. And it did feel wonderful, warm and soft, yet also cool at the same time. Though it only directly affected her bodily form, she could feel it also soothing her frayed nerves. _This_ was Korra. Even possessed by a mischievous — and nearly malevolent — spirit, she still had done nothing that truly harmed her. On her own, she couldn't hurt a fly… as long as said fly wasn't trying to take over the world. Her trust would be repaired in no time.

The bruising didn't go away, but the Avatar managed to make it much lighter, a sort of irritated pink instead of deep purple. Then she moved up to the darker bruises on her neck and shoulders, where she'd gone so far as to bite her. A little nibbling was nice, Korra thought, but this had gone too far. She moved the water more slowly there, gently working the skin beneath her fingertips as she tried to ease away the marks. It took her much longer there, but she used that time to enjoy Asami's soft skin, her beautiful and serene face.

Nearly half an hour later, Korra pulled her hands away, disposing of the water on the ground beside them and kissing Asami's forehead. "Does that feel any better?" she whispered.

Nodding, Asami couldn't bring herself to speak. Some part of her knew deep down that if she did, she would only lash out at the woman who cared so earnestly for her welfare, or else start crying again. Either of those would help no one. Therefore, she only drew her partner down into her arms, wrapping them tightly around her and taking deep, slow breaths. The closeness was of the utmost importance.

Eager to give Asami anything she needed, Korra laid down beside her as she pulled her close, wrapping her in her arms and resting her head upon her breast. She didn't know what to else say. She was at a loss for words.

They laid there like that for what looked like ages with Korra's arms around Asami, until she heard a soft rustling in the grass behind her. She rolled away from Asami and onto her knees, fists ready to strike at any threat; but instead she saw the six-armed deer from earlier. It was carrying clothes, neatly folded, made of what looked to be fine silk. Korra's jaw dropped.

"Asami… look!"

Pushing herself up a bit more, Asami spotted the deer and the clothes and let out something halfway between a chuckle and a sob. "Thank you, friend. I… needed one of you to be nice to me right about now." The creature dipped its head, then disappeared into the brush.

After a moment, they both approached the silk and looked it over. A gorgeous red dress of plain but eye-catching design was there, accompanied by a very old-fashioned undergarment that tied together. That would have been useful earlier.

Korra's gift was a folding shirt, much like the ones worn in the Fire Nation and Earth Kingdom, but in blue. Apparently, the Spirits knew what she liked. There was a gray sash to match, as well. She put them on and immediately admired the finely-woven silk. It was softer than anything she'd ever felt before, even Asami's expensive clothes.

"I like that," said Korra, nodding towards the dress that Asami had been given. "It's very… you." And by that, she meant it was something she would never try, but that Asami would most definitely look beautiful wearing. Then she mused quietly, "I wonder if it just wanted to know our sizes…"

"Probably that was it..." Hands still shaking slightly, Asami tied the undergarment on. It fit like a dream, even if she had never worn one like it before; too primitive. Then she dropped her now-useless blouse off to the side before she began to slide into the dress, which also hugged her every curve. A slit up the leg was somewhat revealing without being scandalous, and allowed for some freedom of movement. All in all, it couldn't have been better.

"H-how do I look?" she asked as she returned her attention to Korra, who was still admiring her new clothing herself. "If you can tear yourself away from you for a second," she chided gently.

"Y-You look beautiful, as always," Korra replied truthfully. She took her lover's hand and kissed it gently, giving her a warm smile. "Listen, Asami… I don't think we should stay here right now. I'm… I think we should go back to Republic City for a while." She didn't want to say it, but now she was afraid of what might happen to Asami in the Spirit World. She wondered if she truly was able to protect her, which scared her more than anything.

Nodding, Asami started walking back to their makeshift camp. "Perhaps we should. Things will be a little less… uncertain there. Things like food supply, and our free will. And we can have space from this event. Maybe it'll help."

Space… Korra didn't think all the space in the world could push today's events from her mind, but it was worth a shot. The thought of Asami being unable to get over this was enough to make her hope she quickly passed on the mantle of Avatar to someone else — and that was a thought she had _never_ entertained before in her whole life, despite all their hardships.

She helped Asami pack up camp, shouldered both of their bags, and took her hand as they moved towards the Spirit Portal. The whole way over, Korra was on edge. Every rustle of motion in the grass made her afraid that the Spirit who possessed her was returning for round two. She'd fight to the death before she let it hurt Asami again — even if she was fighting herself.

_~ To Be Continued ~_


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> CHAPTER WARNINGS: Nudity, and that's it; no real smut this chapter C:
> 
> NOTE: Sorry about the wait! As some of you will have noticed, I had a tentacle-ish thing to write. Also, I've been contributing to the Elsanna Collaboration Corner fanfiction as of late; they can be found at elsanna.tag.team on Fanfiction.net. (I've only contributed to a few fics so far). Anyway, enjoy this mostly story-driven, smut-free chapter for what it is!

After the familiar tingling warmth of the Spirit Portal faded, they stepped back out into busy Republic City. It was broad daylight, and there were many people in the area surrounding the Portal, treating the field of Spirit vines as though it were a grassy field. Families picnicked and children played ball all around.

"Wow," Korra said softly. "I guess people got used to the new scenery pretty fast."

"You know the big city," Asami chuckled softly. "Things change often enough that change itself becomes commonplace."

Then, as they begin to move off toward the street where they could either catch a taxi or begin walking to Asami's home, they begin to hear whispers from the crowd. It seemed a few people recognised them. One small boy pointed openly, but his mother shushed him and lowered his hand — though she was also staring.

It took Korra a moment to realize why people were staring at them as they made their way out of the clearing and into the street. They were still holding hands. She heard soft whispers, here and there catching words like "disappeared… perverse… freaks..."

"Don't listen," Korra said softly. She held up her hand at the edge of the road to hail a taxi, putting her other arm protectively around Asami. "They don't know what they're talking about."

"I'm fine," Asami tried to reassure her. It did bother her that those people said such things, but it meant nothing compared to keeping hold of her love.

When the cabbie pulled up, he took one look at the two of them together, curled his lip and drove off. That bothered her more. Korra had half a mind to flip his car for snubbing them, but Asami's gentle hand on her shoulder stayed her wrath. Disgruntled herself, she raised her hand again, and a few seconds later another taxi arrived.

"Sakes alive," the grey-haired man chuckled amiably. "Don't see many 'alternative couples' in this city, do ya? Where ya headed?"

"Sato Mansion," Korra said flatly as they climbed into the back of the cab. The second driver seemed nicer, though Korra wasn't sure how she felt about being called an 'alternative couple.'

"Ooh, Sato Mansion, huh? Alrighty…" replied the driver. As the car began moving down the street, he eyed them curiously in his rear-view mirror. "You two look awfully familiar. It's like I…" Then his eyes lit up with recognition. _"Avatar Korra?_ And Asami Sato of Future Industries?"

"That's right," Asami replied guardedly. Yes, he was friendlier, but the first taxi still had left her slightly on edge.

"Well, what do ya know about that! Thought you two had decided to stay in the Spirit World for good after all that time had passed!"

Korra frowned. "What do you mean, all that time?"

The taxi driver looked at them as though they were crazy for a moment. "You get amnesia in there? It's been a couple months!"

"I..." Asami fell silent as she processed that. A couple of _months?_ It had only been a few days for them! "I don't know if I believe that. Korra, what do you think happened while we were in there?"

"I…I don't know," Korra replied softly. "Guess time doesn't work the same way in the Spirit World."

"Seems like something the Avatar oughtta know, doesn't it?" chuckled the cab driver.

"Hey, mind your own business," Korra snapped defensively. "What do you know about the Avatar, anyway?"

"Plenty," he replied easily. To his credit, the shortness of the comment hadn't phased him in the slightest. "Used to follow you in the news pretty regularly. Of course, since you stopped Kuvira and went through the portal, I took up Pai Sho. Had to do something else to pass the time, right?"

"Oh," Korra said softly. So the driver was sort of a… fan of hers, in a sense. She immediately regretted being so short with him. "What has the news been saying since we've been gone?"

As he guided the Satomobile around a tight corner, a sort of noncommittal grunt issued from his throat. "Who cares? It's all a bunch of speculation anyway, since nobody had the balls to go in after ya and check. Some say you're dead, but most just assume you're off doing more Avatar stuff. I mean, you disappeared once before and came back, so I think most of us'll give you the benefit of a doubt before we assume the worst!"

"And my company?" Asami asked warily. "Has... Varrick been taking good care of it while I was away? I didn't think he'd be in charge for this long, to be blunt."

The driver chuckled. "Varrick's been ignoring any current infrastructure projects in favor of… more ambitious things. Something about flying suits, I think I heard?"

Korra's eyes widened. That didn't sound good at all. "Maybe it's time to tell Varrick we're back from vacation," she muttered.

"I think you're right," Asami replied. "And probably sooner rather than later." Then she sat up a little straighter and asked, "So... what else have we missed?"

The driver shrugged. "I dunno, lots of stuff. Triads have been running wild, they seem to have a better handle on the new landscape than the police do. Been some unrest in the poorer parts of town, too. Folks aren't too happy about sharing living quarters with Spirits, ya know?"

"I can imagine," Korra sighed under her breath. Just a while ago she could have been surprised to hear that, but now she understood far better than she wanted to.

It seemed important to Asami that she ask something to distract both of them from thinking too much about those spirits. "Have Mako and Beifong been containing the Triads?"

"Eh... not so much containing them as keeping them from taking over the city completely. But things are getting better, they got some fresh blood on the force. Hell of a slow process, though."

That didn't sound good at all. By the time they pulled up in front of the Sato Mansion, Korra was feeling even more uneasy than before. She helped Asami out of the cab, chewing nervously on her bottom lip as they turned towards the mansion.

"Maybe we shouldn't have left..." she wondered aloud.

"Don't worry. It's not so bad it can't be fixed." Then she turned and handed the man a few bills. "I trust the currency is still the same, at least?"

"Keep it. My privilege to drive the Avatar around!" When she opened her mouth to protest, he merely shook his head and tipped his hat. "Just get this city back in shape — that's all the payment I need!" And with that, he was driving off to find his next fare.

"At least somebody around here still likes us," said Avatar murmured. Looking up at Asami's huge and intimidating mansion, she suddenly wondered if two people in the public eye should be acting with more discretion.

"So…I know Varrick was in charge of the company while we were gone," Korra said, trying in vain to sound more lighthearted. "But please tell me he wasn't in charge of your house too."

"No," Asami chuckled quietly as they hefted their bags and began walking toward the doors. "I left that up to Zhu Li specifically. And I also asked Pema to check on in the both of them from time to time, just make sure Varrick doesn't turn the entire house into a giant robot or something bizarre."

"He so would," Korra murmured as they went through the door. But thankfully the house appeared to have been kept exactly as they left it. The place was as huge, fancy, and frightening as Korra remembered. It wasn't as though she truly felt unsafe there… but its opulence was the exact opposite of everything she'd known growing up. It made her feel a bit out of place, to say the least.

A split-second later, Asami's butler came scurrying around and corner and stopped in front of them with a low bow. "Welcome back, Miss Sato," he said as though he had been desperate for her return. "Welcome back!"

"Uhh, yes, thank you," she replied with a half-chuckle. "It's good to be back. Will you help us with the bags as you fill us in on what we've missed around here?"

The butler took their backpacks and gestured for them to follow him up the stairs. "There is not much to speak of. Miss Zhu-Li has kept the house in fine order. Mr. Varrick, on the other hand, has failed miserably at re-planning the city's infrastructure to accommodate the new… um, spirit vine park, as it were. I daresay he hasn't given the matter a single thought."

"Of course he hasn't." As they reached the third floor landing, she finally asked, "And the former followers of Kuvira's regime? Have he and the President reached any final verdict as to what shall be done with them?"

"It was decided that the higher-ups within her regime will be serving prison sentences, in accordance with their various crimes," replied the butler. "Most of the grunt soldiers have been given a sort of probationary freedom, since they were probably just following orders."

"Sounds about right," Korra replied with a nod. "She had a huge army. That'd be way too many people to throw in jail."

"We wouldn't have the space to house them all, anyway." Finally they arrived at her room, but the servant kept walking. "Where are you going?"

"To show the Avatar to her chambers," the man replied evenly, somewhat surprised.

"We'll be sharing _my_ chambers, thank you. And that will be all." The man raised an eyebrow, which was the most surprise he displayed on a normal day, but when she Korra raised an eyebrow right back at him and Asami cleared her throat, he simply shrugged and took all of the bags into the room.

As they entered, it dawned on the Avatar that she'd never been inside her friend's room before. It was, as she'd expected, more ostentatious than anything Korra had ever known. The bed was probably big enough to fit three people, there was an attached bathroom outfitted like a small spa, and a very small party could have probably been held in the closet.

"Wow," Korra said softly, looking around the room as the butler put their things down and left. "What do you do with all this space?"

"Nothing recently," Asami admitted as she picked up her bag and set it on a small bench next to the closet door. "But when I was little, I... oh, nevermind. It's silly."

"What? No, tell me!" Korra said eagerly, grinning as she wondered what sort of games Asami must have played as a child.

The bashful smile already spoke volumes even before Asami continued. "When I was a little girl, my mother and father would have the servants bring in two stacks of chairs they normally kept on hand for events with guests. Then the three of us would drape bedsheets over them and arrange them into forts." Turning with her hands in the small of her back, she beamed at Korra. "It was one of the best memories I have of them! Deciding where the entrance would be, choosing which 'rooms' were what, crawling through and getting lost under a blanket until my father would simply stand up and pull it off... and then they would kiss my cheeks and poke my tummy, and call me their special princess."

Korra's grin widened. "Hey, what do you know? I used to do the same thing with my parents when I was a kid! Except we didn't really have servants or the same kind of furniture, so I just Bent rocks and snow into whatever kind of fort we wanted." She laughed. "See? I don't think it's silly at all…"

They both laughed together until Asami seated herself on the edge of her bed, hands tucked under her thighs. After a moment, her smile turned bittersweet.

"And now they're both gone."

That easily, Korra's smile vanished. She wished she could offer something that related, but she still had both of her parents. Sitting down next to Asami, Korra said, "You know… Katara always said the people you love are never really gone. The cycle of life continues and renews, and the love they had for you will always be present in your life."

"No, you're right. I know." Leaning over, she kissed Korra on the cheek warmly and looped one arm around the small of her back. "And I have someone new to share my love with now. I just... miss them sometimes, I guess. Sorry to get all melancholy."

"Of course you miss them," Korra replied understandingly. "No need to apologise." She put her arm around Asami and kissed her forehead. "It's okay to miss them, you know."

As they sat there together, her other hand sliding up to rest on Korra's shoulder, Asami found that none of those feelings of anxiety from what the Spirit had done to them were present. She remembered what they were like, and still regretted its involvement, but no longer cared quite so deeply as she had immediately thereafter. Korra was proving herself to still be Korra, her sweet, loving Avatar who actually cared about her parents being gone despite one of them being a former anti-Bending bigot. She was indeed a rare breed.

On the other hand... there was something she had been ignoring from the back of her mind in the time since then. A mortifying truth she had discovered while on her hands and knees.

Asami Sato liked it _rough._ Yes, she definitely wanted to be with someone who would stop when she asked; that was non-negotiable. However, other than that single stipulation, she had enjoyed that session more than she wanted to admit. A _lot_ more. Perhaps not over the other two sessions, which were equally erotic in other ways, but there was something about being completely subjugated that was delightfully wicked. It probably had something to do with how controlling she had to be in other areas of her life, by necessity; it was bizarrely satisfying to be simply told what she was going to do and what was going to be done to her. Within reason.

As they sat there in silence, Korra couldn't help but notice Asami's breath changing, her face growing slightly red as she shifted uncomfortably where she sat. Then her finger began tracing tiny circles on Korra's neck with her fingernail, making the Avatar's heart quicken and her breath grow short. Even after everything they'd been through, even with as bad as she still felt, Asami's touch was always enough to get her worked up.

"Sorry," Asami said suddenly, pulling back with a nervous laugh as though she'd done something wrong.

"Don't be," Korra replied, capturing her hand in her own and smiling. "It's okay. You thinking about something… in particular?" She winked for good measure.

"No! Well... yes." Clearing her throat first, Asami gripped Korra's hand back just as much. Reassuring herself of their contact, of their relationship. "Today, when you came back with the fruit. So maybe the things you were saying bothered me, but what you were doing... I didn't hate it altogether." She knew it was a very slight lie to put things that way, but she wanted to test how Korra felt on the subject.

Korra paused. She wasn't sure what she'd been expecting to hear, but that wasn't it. "So…you mean you liked some of it?" she asked cautiously. In truth, she'd enjoyed every minute of it, though she'd regretted some of the things she'd said. That the Spirit had forced her to say. She would never forget what it felt like to be inside her lover just as a man would, biting at her neck and pulling her hair as she plowed into her from behind. "Can you, um… be a little more clear about that?"

Not that Asami was sure she could be more clear, but she supposed it wouldn't hurt to try. "Okay. It felt really interesting to be… handled… roughly. I didn't like being scared that you might not stop if you hurt me, but everything except for that was… was..." She gulped and looked away ashamed. "I don't want you to think any less of me for liking it. People aren't supposed to like being mistreated, which is how I would label that if someone were describing it to me. Still, despite that… I liked that you were in control, and that I was your entire focus. I don't know, am I crazy?"

"Crazy?" Korra replied with a smile, perhaps a little too casually. "Naw, never!" She caught herself, remembering how new Asami was to all of this, and cleared her throat. "Um… I mean, lots of people like it a little rough. It's pretty common. I mean…" She shrugged and gave her lover a bashful smile. "Even I like being handled a little roughly sometimes. It's exciting!"

Holding her girlfriend a little closer, she went on quietly, "I could never think less of you for that, Asami. And… I'd be lying if I said I didn't enjoy being in control. I'd like to do it again sometime, when I don't have some perverted Spirit making me ruin everything."

"Yeah, that would help," Asami chuckled dryly. The thought of the Spirit still sent a chill through her stomach, but it was separate from how she felt for Korra now, from all the relief her soothing words brought her. Maybe with enough time, she wouldn't feel the chill at all anymore. "You like it that way sometimes, too? I don't know if I could do that to you, I'm not a very… 'rough' person by nature."

"I know you aren't," Korra replied. "And that's okay. But if you ever want to give it a try, you know I'd let you have your way with me anytime." She kissed Asami's cheek and rested her head on her shoulder. Then she chuckled a moment later, "Heh. You know what else is fun? Sex right after sparring. Or in the middle of sparring. Sometimes it just kind of happens on its own."

"Hm?" The reason Asami had been silent was due to the sudden flood of images that flashed through her head. Korra on her hands and knees, being taken roughly from behind. Had Mako done that for her? Jealousy briefly flared up in her, but she wasn't normally a jealous person by nature so it did not stay very long. However, those images of her Korra, the mighty Avatar, being subservient to anyone by her own choice... they lingered.

"Oh," she chuckled softly when she recalled what Korra was saying. "That sounds… interesting, too. And sweaty. Both of those things."

"Yeah," Korra laughed softly. "Very sweaty." She was already imagining taking Asami on in the gym; no Bending, just hand to hand. Her lover was a formidable fighter. She'd watched her when fighting alongside her; she used her superior speed and flexibility to get close to her opponents, catching them off-guard, using their own weight and momentum against them. Korra recalled one instance when she'd seen Asami flip a man twice her size. She recalled how suddenly turned on she had been at the time, how hard it had been to concentrate on fighting Equalists with her body and mind so confused about that…

"We really should spar sometime though," Korra continued pleasantly. "I bet you could beat me. I mean, I'm a much better Bender than I am a hand-to-hand fighter."

"No way," Asami scoffed. "Me, beat you? I really don't think so." Still, the idea of sparring with Korra sounded nice, regardless of whether or not she could win… or if anything happened afterward. "But let's find out. Would you like to schedule a sparring session? Perhaps tomorrow after breakfast?"

"Schedule?" Korra repeated somewhat incredulously. But then she realized: of _course_ the President and CEO of Future Industries had a schedule that she kept. She was probably insanely busy. Korra would just have to get used to not having Asami all to herself, all the time. "Yeah. That sounds like a great idea."

And the CEO did notice the very slight disappointment when Korra realised that she really would have to plan her days from now on. So she tried her best to offset it by poking her shoulder as she stood up. "And if you're lucky, maybe we'll have some kind of prize for the victor. I'll think of something."

"A prize, huh?" chuckled Korra. "Yeah, I bet you'll think of something…" She kissed Asami's cheek and wrapped both arms around her waist. "Mmmmm… so I get to share Miss Sato's chambers tonight, huh? Does that mean I get to share Miss Sato's bed, too?"

"Sweaty animals like you sleep at the foot of the bed, right?" But before Korra could react, she laughed and embraced her back. "Of course we're sharing a bed. We're... girlfriends." Her voice grew only the slightest bit hushed for that single word before she continued. "If we could survive cramming into that single bedroll, I think we'll be alright on a king sized bed."

Korra laughed at Asami's jest, but she did notice the slight hesitation in the way she'd said 'girlfriends.' The Avatar knew she was worried about the same thing she was… that perhaps they'd been a little too reckless walking back into Republic City with their arms around one another. But they could worry about that tomorrow. Right now, Korra was exhausted, and she wanted nothing more than to sleep comfortably in her lover's arms.

"I think we will most definitely be alright in this bed," Korra agreed, moving up to the pillows and wriggling under the covers. "I've never even seen a bed this big! These sheets are…wow…the silk is so soft it feels like water!"

Asami was blinking at Korra's sudden movement. When she finally stopped to look up at her, she shrugged and said, "It's fine! I guess we're just... sleeping in our clothes. Without showering. Great."

Korra blinked stupidly before jumping out of the bed. Of course Asami would care about that. "I… I'm sorry! Yeah, you know what, a shower sounds great!" She smiled guiltily and turned towards the spa-like room adjacent to Asami's bedroom. "I take it the shower is one of those things in there?"

"A good guess," Asami snorted in amusement. She had actually been okay with Korra going to sleep like that if she so chose; it merely surprised her. Bunking down in the wild without showering or changing clothes was one thing, but they were back in civilization again now! "Do you want to go first so you can get right to bed?"

"That's nice of you to offer," Korra said absently as she stepped into the huge bathroom. Her eyes scanned the place before settling on a big, deep tub embedded in the floor. "OOH! Or we could get clean together in your big indoor hot-spring thing!"

"Oh! Yeah, I... guess we can. For some reason I didn't even think of that, I went straight to how we would do things if we were still just friends! Sorry." Then she cleared her throat and followed Korra into the room. "You scrub my back and I'll scrub yours?"

"Of course," Korra replied with a grin. She stripped off her clothes without hesitation, leaving them in a pile on the floor and hopping right into the deep tub. The side of the thing was covered in dials and buttons. "So…how do you make it turn on?"

It took quite a bit of effort for Asami not to laugh openly at Korra for not knowing, but she pulled it off. Everyone had to learn sometime. Instead, she merely paced over and took up Korra's hand with hers, setting it gently on one of the dials.

"This is the main flow," she murmured directly into Korra's ear. "It'll come out cold right now if you turn it on, so I figure you don't want that. This up here... is to increase the heat. The gauge next to it shows how hot it is. You'll want to turn it up to about... there."

"Ummm…okay," Korra replied a bit dumbly as Asami's hand guided hers towards the correct dials. Cold water didn't bother her, but the point of this was to be an indoor hot-spring, was it not? She watched her lover's slender hand guide the heat dial to the proper setting, and then waited about two seconds before asking, "So now we turn the water on?"

"Yes," Asami said, again suppressing a bemused smile. And together, they did. Instantly, lukewarm jets of water began to pour into the tub from two different faucets, but as they continued the water began to grow hotter. Eventually, steam began to rise from the tub as it swirled around Korra's heels.

"Okay," Asami said as she backed up to begin taking off her own shoes and dress. Korra grinned like an idiot and laughed as warm water, growing gradually hotter, poured into the tub around her. Then Asami began to undress, and the Avatar watched with wide eyes, silly grin growing ever wider.

"Do you see the knob with the pink jewel set in it? Turn it to the right for three seconds — three seconds and _no more_ — and then turn it back off, okay?"

"Huh? The — what? Pink jewel?" Turning around in the tub, Korra noticed another, smaller panel with five colored, jeweled knobs. "Okay…" she said, turning the pink one and counting to three in her head before switching it the other way. "What's that supposed to do?"

Smirking at Korra's voyeuristic tendencies, Asami merely said, "You'll see."

And she did see, when a thick fluid poured into the water. Within ten seconds, bubbles began to form on the surface — large, pink-tinted bubbles that smelled of roses. It didn't take long before they were swirling up around Korra's calves, despite the water still only coming up to her ankles.

"A bubblebath!" she exclaimed, eyes sparkling as though she'd just seen an ostrich-unicorn. "I didn't think they were for real; I thought Varrick was making them up!" As the tub filled and the water came up to her chest, Korra ducked under and came back up with her hair and face covered in bubbles. "WhoooOOO!"

The sight made Asami laugh so hard that she couldn't finish taking off her underwear for a few seconds, both arms wrapped around her stomach as the gales rang off the ornate tile walls. Korra could always make her laugh.

Feeding on Asami's laughter and approval, Korra shaped the bubbles on her head and face to form a long beard and hair. "You get to do this all the time!?" she squealed. "This is so cool!"

Still cackling, she replied, "Good, then you can do it whenever you want! I'm happy you approve!" Then she slipped out of the rest of her clothing and quickly moved to the edge of the tub, slowly lowering one foot into the rapidly-rising water. "Ooh — that's pretty warm already!"

Korra gave a low hum of approval as Asami removed her remaining clothes and stepped into the tub. "It feels so good!" she squealed. "Get in! Oooh, tell me what these other jeweled dials do!"

"Haha, okay, okay." As Asami settled herself on the benchseat of the tub, she gestured to them one by one. "That one is full of lavender oil, and that one is juniper. This one over here is soap, and as you can see it's a pump, so only a little comes out each time you push. That one… I wouldn't touch if I were you. Varrick told me it's an experimental shampoo of his."

"Oh… yeah, no, nothing experimental, please," Korra replied with a laugh, wiping the bubbles away from her face. Curiously she pressed the soap button, and a little glob of purple gel came out onto her fingers. She'd never seen soap like that before, either! "Cool," she said, moving over to sit beside Asami on the bench seat. "So… you wanted me to wash your back?"

"Yeah, turn off the water while I wet it first." Not wasting any time, she scooted forward until her entire body began to sink down into the water. Korra watched Asami move even as she switched off the water. Her long, black hair fell down around her shoulders and floated on its tips upon the water. Spirits, she was so beautiful…

Then she splashed up from the water, flinging droplets up into the air. Indeed, she was a vision — and one only for Korra. Then she turned to look at her and said, "Okay, are you ready to scrub?"

"Yeah, I am!" Korra said enthusiastically, moving Asami's hair and placing her hands on her back with no hesitation. She lathered the purple soap all over her pale skin before gently massaging her back and shoulders through the suds, working her fingers gently into each sore and tense muscle.

A low and sensuous moan issued from Asami as she leaned back into the kneading hands. This was fabulous; she had the one woman who mattered to her in two worlds massaging her back, teasing her skin. What else could she need?

"Mmm… you make the best noises." Korra mused happily as she worked her fingers against a particularly knotted muscle. "I could do this all night if you keep it up."

A small smirk played across Asami's lips as she heard Korra's offer of play under the light-hearted comment. "Careful, or you really will be helping me make those noises all night."

"As nice as that sounds, I don't know if I have enough energy to perform tonight," Korra laughed. "You'd be shocked how much it takes out of you being possessed." When she had finished working out all the knots in Asami's back, she gave her a quick peck on the cheek and turned around. "My turn! I love having someone else wash my back."

As she spun and readjusted herself in the tub, Asami smiled softly. "And I love touching this back of yours." Her fingers began kneading the taut muscles, playing over the skin. It was several seconds before it dawned on her: "Oh! I, um, should probably be using soap, shouldn't I?"

Korra laughed again. She hadn't even noticed the missing soap, as much as she enjoyed Asami's touch. "Yeah, soap might help."

A few moments later, Asami had made up for her misstep and was scrubbing Korra's back, creating a thick layer of lather. The wide expanse of delicious flesh and sinew spoke to her womanhood but she didn't bother to fuel the flames; all that could wait until tomorrow.

"So," she sighed. "What will you be doing tomorrow afternoon while I'm in meetings, and trying to get my company back from Varrick?"

"I'm not sure," she admitted as she relaxed back into Asami's soft hands. She'd been so busy fighting evil and trying to find herself that she hadn't even considered what she'd be doing next. "I guess I'll see if Beifong needs any help getting the Triads under control. Maybe walk around and try to get a vibe for how the city's working around the Spirit Portal."

"I think that sounds like an excellent plan." Then Asami's hands slid around to Korra's chest, gently caressing without teasing overly. "Lin will be lucky to work with you again."

"Heh… you think?" Korra said with a laugh. "She might not see it that way. I don't know though, she's been a little less cold and uncaring the last few times we've spoken. Maybe she's finally lightening up a little."

"Maybe she just needs you to rattle her cage in your patented Avatar way some more." Then she washed lower, using her knee to gently prod at Korra's rear end to imply that she wanted her to stand so she could reach.

"What do you mean by rat— _Whoa!"_ Korra jumped a little when she felt Asami's knee poking at her backside. She stood up obligingly, grinning over her shoulder. "Something you're trying to reach?"

"Yes," Asami laughed. "Only to wash you, I promise. Unless you've changed your mind?" However, she was already scrubbing her lower abdomen and waist, thorough as a chambermaid.

"I didn't say that," she teased, leaning back again so Asami could reach her better. After another moment of silence she said, "Hey… I know you're gonna be busy tomorrow, but can we have dinner together too?"

"Of course. I had planned on that from the beginning." The hands moved around to gently cup the rear end, smoothing over it in gentle circles. "Unless something comes up, I'd… like to have dinner with you every night from now on. If that's alright."

"Ha! If it's alright!" Korra exclaimed. "Are you kidding? I'd love that, of course!" Feeling as though she was clean enough, and knowing she wouldn't be able to control herself if Asami kept squeezing her ass like that, Korra turned around and took her lover into her arms. "I love you so much. I… I really can't say that enough."

"You don't have to say it all the time," Asami giggled back, kissing the end of her nose. "But I'm not getting tired of hearing it. Probably won't for a while."

Korra rested her head against Asami's and gave a soft hum of contentment as she kissed her nose. They stayed that way for what seemed like a long while, happy and relaxed in one another's arms. Then, out of the blue, Korra yawned. She pulled back a little and whispered, "I'm sorry! I-I'm just really tired!"

"It's alright, love! So am I."

In a few more minutes, they had finished bathing and towelled off without any further distractions. Asami reached for the wardrobe to withdraw a nightgown, but then she paused.

"Korra... would I be right in assuming you'd rather sleep in the nude?"

"Ohhh yeah," Korra replied absently, nodding in agreement. "I mean — heh — I always did back home in the South Pole, nude under a pile of blankets, but I haven't been able to in a while. You've seen Air Temple Island; the doors don't even really shut, they're just those sliding screens…"

Nodding, Asami allowed the wardrobe door to drift closed under its own momentum. "One moment, then."

A thrill shot through her stomach as she tiptoed to the door. With the way she was raised, she never even exited the bathroom without at least having a dressing gown covering herself. Now, however, she was actually easing the door open, her nude body on display — or it would be, on the off chance someone was literally standing on the other side at that very second.

Korra grinned as she watched Asami move slowly towards the door in the nude. It almost seemed as though she hesitated; but Korra figured she was just taking her time and putting on a show, and she certainly wasn't going to complain. She could watch Asami walk around naked all day and night.

As she moved into the bedroom, Korra stood by the bed in a mock-dutiful pose, turning down the covers and bowing slightly. "Your bed, Miss Sato," she teased with a foolish grin.

Giggling, Asami turned back from the door as she firmly closed it behind her. "Thank you, Miss Avatar." Then she seated herself on the edge of the bed primly, fluttering her eyelashes up at Korra. "And now that I've turned the 'do not disturb' sign, none of the servants will disturb us with anything other than a courteous knock."

"You have a 'do not disturb' sign?" Korra laughed incredulously, pausing with a bit of uncertainty. That might have been a joke, and it might not. Asami's house was just fancy enough that she might be telling the truth.

Korra wasted no time hopping into bed and wiggling under the covers. "Will you sleep under the covers with me this time?" she teased.

"Of course I do. And, of course I will." Reaching up, she flicked off the light switch. "I've had that sign since Jiang, one of our former servants, wouldn't stop busting in on me changing when I was an adolescent. He would always say, 'but how am I supposed to know when you're changing?!' He did end up being let go for other reasons, but that prompted me to make the sign myself."

"Humph," Korra grunted, imagining the pervy guy already in her mind's eye. "Bastard had better hope I never bump into him," she half-joked with a wink.

The sheets were so cool and soft that Asami felt like she could instantly lose consciousness, but she wanted to snuggle with Korra for a few minutes first. Scooting over an inch or two, she reached forward and left her hand lying on her neck, a very slight smile visible on her lips in the moonlight. As Asami cuddled closer, Korra reached out to do the same, placing a hand on her neck and smiling at her in the dim moonlight. A moment passed in silence. Then Korra closed the distance between them and gave her lover a long, gentle kiss.

It was always magic, every time. Why could she never seem to get enough of Korra? Humming very quietly, she moved her lips around on other lips, tilting her head to give both of them easier access. Pet the neck in front of her as she would the most precious thing in the world. Because it was.

"I've... never done this before," Asami confided in her. "Slept entirely in the nude."

Korra laughed. "Well, now you'll know why it's the best. I hate wearing clothes to bed." She kissed Asami again, more slowly this time, before pulling her into a gentle embrace and cradling her head against her breast. "This is the only way to sleep…"

"I'm beginning to agree with you," Asami yawned as she nestled in. Yet another thing she had been missing out on that Korra was going to make sure she didn't anymore.

_~ To Be Continued ~_


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> CHAPTER WARNINGS: sparring sex, nudity, groping, dominance/submission, rough fingering, light bondage, tickling, foot worship, biting, cunnilingus.
> 
> NOTE: It's getting... more intense, haha. I'll leave it at that. ALSO: Cartesian and I just finished our third roleplay! It's in very rough draft form, but expect to see it sometime after this one is finished!

Korra woke the next morning with Asami in her arms, face buried in her dark hair. During the night, Asami had rolled over, and in her sleep Korra had pressed tight against her back to hold her close with both an arm and a leg draped over her. She sighed happily and held Asami just a bit closer, pushing her hair out of the way so she could place a small kiss on her cheek.

This kiss was what roused Asami in the end. Only slightly, and only enough to snuggle closer. But she was aware of Korra's presence, and that made the morning the most perfect one there had ever been.

"Mmmhhh..."

"Good morning, sleepyhead," Korra whispered in Asami's ear, kissing her cheek again and snuggling a little deeper into her beautiful hair. "Mmmm… you smell like roses."

That prompted a quiet chuckling, followed by hands clutching at Korra's shoulders as she rolled over to smash her face against Korra's chest. "Mmm, yeah? You smell like... mmm, like breakfast."

"Breakfast?" Korra replied, sniffing the air. "I… think you're smelling the kitchen staff making food. I mean, I figure you have kitchen staff?"

"No, _you're_ breakfast." Then a tiny pink tongue was flicking across Korra's collarbone. "But yeah... we have kitchen staff."

"Ohhhhh," Korra breathed softly, just getting Asami's joke as her tongue darted across her shoulder and throat. "Mmm. Okay. I can be breakfast." She lifted Asami's chin and kissed her firmly on the lips. "Hungry, huh?"

Kissing back with sleepy interest, Asami grinned bashfully. "Pretty hungry." Then she sat up on her elbow very slightly, just enough so that there was no strain being put on her neck for their lips to reach each other. "How about you?"

"I'm always starving," she replied with a wolfish grin, pulling Asami flush against her and moving in for a more passionate kiss.

Just then, there was a knock at the door. "Beg pardon, Miss Sato. Breakfast is ready to be served at your leisure." The Butler's voice cut through their perfect moment like a knife, and Korra gave a huff of frustration.

"Th-thank you, Anfeng!" Asami managed to call out, pressing her eyes hard against Korra's shoulder. "We will be down momentarily!"

"Very good, madam." Then there was only his receding footsteps.

"Phew." Pulling back, Asami cupped Korra's face. "Sorry, it... looks like, um, this type of breakfast is going to have to wait. But you're probably hungry anyway, right?"

Korra sighed reluctantly. "Yeah, I guess I am hungry. In the actual sense of the word."

Then she winked at Asami and kissed her cheek once more before climbing out of bed and getting ready for the day. She never took very long to get ready in the morning, and since they planned on sparring after breakfast, she dressed herself in just her usual tank and pants. Then she combed her fingers through her hair to settle it and said, "Ready when you are."

"Hey!" Asami laughed as she opened the wardrobe, this time actually removing silk pyjamas and a robe from its confines. "I like to put in a little more effort than that before I present myself to the public, alright?" As she slid the pants on, she dipped her head slightly. "Though to be fair, you could be wearing a Nuktuk costume and look good."

Korra chuckled. "Hey, I'd look _great_ in that silly costume," she teased right back. "Short shorts, no front or sleeves… you'd like that, huh?" Turning around to look at Asami, she asked, "Are you gonna wear pajamas and a robe to spar with me?"

Blinking, Asami glanced down at herself, then back up at Korra. "Well, I... assumed I would be changing in our training room... am I supposed to be dressed for it now?"

"Oh," replied Korra. "No, that's fine! I'm just… not used to changing clothes a lot, I guess. Do you… want me to wear something else to breakfast?"

"No, of course not! You look perfect!" Then she cleared her throat and finished shrugging her robe on. "I mean, fine. You look fine. I like how you look, anyway!"

Korra felt a little out of place now, but she shrugged it off. She wasn't too eager to wear one of Asami's fancy robes if she didn't have to. "Okay. Well then, what's for breakfast?"

"I think you'll like this. I think you'll like it a lot."

A few minutes later, they were walking into the opulent dining hal. Two places were set at one end of the long table, replete with covered dishes and steaming cups of tea. A pitcher of fresh-squeezed juice was placed within easy reach of both settings. She couldn't see what was under the silver dishes, but it smelled delicious, and she was happy anytime there was fresh juice. She took the seat to the side, letting Asami have the head of the table.

"Am I allowed to open it?" she whispered to Asami as she eyed the kitchen worker standing beside the table.

"Yes!" Asami laughed, privately thinking this was the most excited Korra ever got. "Go on, go on!"

Korra didn't wait another second before lifting the silver lid and placing it to the side of her tray. Instantly, her face lit up. The plate was piled high with fluffy eggs and fat links of sausage. For once in her life, she felt as though she wasn't going to have to ask for seconds. Grinning like a fool at Asami and the anonymous kitchen worker, she pointed elatedly at the plate before diving right in.

Asami was kind enough to hide her mouth behind her hand as she laughed silently, not wanting to distract her love from her "feast". After a moment, she too lifted her own tray, which displayed a more modest portion of each, along with a small bowl of jasmine rice. Silently, she dug into hers, punctuating every two or three bites with a sip of her tea.

"Best breakfast ever," Korra declared through a mouthful of food, pouring herself a glass of juice before drinking her tea. _"Ever."_ It didn't take her long to finish all the food on her plate; she finished it in about the same time Asami put away hers.

"I'm tempted to compare you to a barnyard animal again," Asami tittered as she daintily wiped the corners of her mouth. Korra stuck her tongue out a little at that particular prod. "But I'll be kind. How was everything, besides edible?"

"Delicious!" She finished off her glass of juice and stood up from her chair. "Now I'm ready to spar!" She stretched showily and flexed her arms, ignoring the blatant eye roll from Asami's servant. "That is, if you're still feeling up for it."

Asami's eyebrows lifted as she scooted her chair back. "Right now? You don't want to, you know... digest? Anything?" But she knew Korra wouldn't, so she merely shrugged and turned toward the door. "This way, please."

Korra followed Asami upstairs to her workout room, which could probably be more accurately described as a gymnasium. The place was larger than the pro-bending practice gym, and outfitted with all the latest equipment.

"Wow," she mused, running her fingers over an expensive-looking practice dummy. "This is super fancy."

"Definitely," Asami laughed as she crossed to the folding privacy screen in the corner, which stood in front of a locker with spare clothing. She began to take out some items as she went on, "My father would only have the best. I plan to be a bit more practical with my spending, but as long as this room is already here and outfitted..."

"It's the coolest gym I've ever seen," Korra said with a grin. "I'm actually really excited to train here..." When she turned around, Asami was hidden behind a folding screen. Well, not exactly hidden; Korra could see a perfect silhouette moving behind it as Asami figured out what to wear. She stood back and crossed her arms with a smirk. "Not as excited as I am to go hand to hand with you though," she added.

"You think that now! Wait until after I feed you a lovely dessert of floor mat!"

"Heh. Oh yeah? We'll see about that." Korra bound her wrists and hands while she watched Asami's shadow going through the motions of changing. In truth, she expected Asami to beat her in hand-to-hand, but she also intended to give her lover a good fight.

When Asami walked out from behind the screen, she was wearing a loose white cotton shirt over a dark red tank top, as well as red shorts that matched. On each elbow and knee were pads, and a padded headband encircled her head, all the same shade of deep crimson. Korra couldn't help but chuckle a little at Asami's safety measures. She looked cute, but Korra preferred to take and feel the hits when she sparred or fought.

"Okay," she said with a grin, taking a few steps back. "Any boundaries? Rules?"

"Right, yeah." Kicking the toes of her lightweight leather shoes against the floor, Asami loosened her arm muscles as she considered. "No aiming for the face, no spitting, and tapping the mat three times means 'I give'. Oh, and one more rule..." Her smirk was coy, but she waited for Korra to confirm that she understood the first rules before she continued.

"Yeah, uh-huh. So… what else?" She smirked right back at Asami's coy smile. "What are you thinking of?"

Dropping back into a defensive crouch, Asami took a few practice jabs at the air. "Any time one of us goes down completely or gives up... they have to remove one article of clothing. If they don't start taking something off within three seconds, the other person gets to choose... and take it off themselves."

Korra's jaw dropped for a split-second before spreading into a grin. "That's… the best idea _ever!"_ she exclaimed. "Strip-sparring; brilliant!"

"Well, you did say that sometimes sparring leads to more, so I figured this will give us a headstart."

"Nice." She also took a few steps back, before taking an offensive stance and motioning for Asami to come and get her. "Ready when you are..."

"Very well. Three, two... ONE!"

Without any more warning than that, Asami took off running toward Korra, sweeping her leg up toward her neck. This was obviously a bold opening move, but she felt the need to prove herself as a worthy sparring partner. A worthy partner in general.

Korra laughed outwardly at Asami's sheer guts as well as skill, as she ducked under her leg to dodge the kick. Moving like Tenzin had taught her, she circled around behind Asami and placed a firm palmstrike between her shoulder blades.

"Is that all you've got?" she teased as she bounced away.

Staggering slightly, Asami flipped around soon enough, dancing back and forth a few times. "Hardly!" One fist whipped forward, aiming for Korra's shoulder.

Asami's quick strike came in contact with Korra's shoulder. The Avatar gave a soft 'oof' but she took the opportunity to grab Asami. Taking her by the wrist, she quickly spun her around and used the momentum of the spin to tackle her right onto the mat. Korra was unabashedly using her superior body weight to her advantage.

"You gotta do better than that," she teased.

Gritting her teeth, Asami pushed her up and off of herself, then vaulted to a standing position. She had just fallen into a defensive stance when she stopped herself. "Oh. Wait, I... have to, don't I?"

"Three seconds is over!" Korra exclaimed triumphantly. "Shirt!"

"Damn!" This soon into the rules she had just laid out and already she had forgotten them. Sighing and rolling her eyes, she whipped off the light shirt — which she had only worn to give herself a slight advantage in this department — and tossed it neatly over the privacy screen. The tank top still kept her well-covered, of course.

"Satisfied?" Asami asked as she resumed her stance, dancing back and forth faster now that she had warmed up.

"Not yet," Korra replied with a wolfish grin. She was determined to get Asami naked in this gym. She jumped forward and aimed a punch at her shoulder, pulling back her left arm for a follow-up blow.

Slightly resentful of giving up a victory this early on, Asami wasted no time dropping to the mat and sweeping one leg out, snatching both of Korra's out from under her body. "Whoa!" Korra cried as she was swept off her feet. She'd expected Asami to counter her punch. She threw out her arms as she landed and used her legs to vault herself back up. Though slightly off-balance, she spun and aimed a kick at her opponent.

Throwing out both arms at the last moment, Asami stepped with the blow and encircled Korra's leg, using the momentum to toss her toward the weight machine in the corner. Whether or not Korra could stay on her feet was up to her now.

By the time Korra realized she was going down, it was too late. She could have used her Bending to speed away from the weight machine, but that would be cheating. So she turned in her fall and allowed Asami to tackle her to the ground. Anything was better than hitting that big machine.

All Asami did after pinning Korra was leave an extremely cheeky kiss on the end of her nose. "Gotcha." Then she hopped to her feet and danced backward. "Come on!"

Before Asami could tell her what to do, Korra shucked off her tank, happy to fight in just her bindings. Maybe she could use her abs and shoulders as a diversion, she thought wryly, flexing slightly as she tossed the shirt aside.

"Okay, no more nice Avatar!" she shouted with a grin, moving in and released a flurry of punches and kicks. Most of them didn't hit — it was more her intention to overwhelm than to hurt — but the ones that did surely smarted.

Indeed, they left an impression. Asami was able to block the lion's share of the blows, but one or two slipped past her guard and she was forced to bear the brunt to either her shoulders or ribs. One finally landed in the center of her chest when she couldn't bring her arm up in time, but she impressed herself by strafing around the following jab that was intended for her exposed stomach. Hoping to make something out of the brief advantage, she aimed a quick kick for Korra's nearest knee.

But Korra saw the kick towards her knee, and she grabbed Asami's leg, kicking her other leg right out from under her. As she went down Korra pinned her to the floor. "Gotcha!" she whispered in Asami's ear.

Grumbling and trying not to feel too upset about a simple sparring match, Asami stood up rather quickly and stepped on the backs of her shoes in turn, kicking them off after her shirt. It was tempting to only take one off, since technically they were separate garments, but that was petty — and besides, being half-shod would probably throw her off balance.

Korra winked at Asami, going right back at her as soon as her shoes were off. She went all in, jumping forward to try and tackle her immediately. This time, Asami was determined not to give up a point. She rolled forward and under Korra's outstretched arms, spinning once she was upright again and springing backward, hands up and at the ready. There would be no more easy pins.

The Avatar spun on her heel, jumped off the ground, and flew at Asami again. "You're pretty good," she admitted as her lover dodged once again.

"Thank you," Asami huffed, only marginally winded. "You're... the Avatar, so that goes without saying!" Then she finally tired of feinting left and right and aimed a knee for Korra's ribcage.

Foolishly, Korra had gotten distracted by Asami's body as she moved swiftly around her, and to pay for it she got kneed firmly in the ribs. "Ooof!" she huffed, grabbing onto her lover's leg instead of scrambling back. This time she knocked her off her feet by pulling hard on her leg, throwing herself down on top of her. "Nice try!" Korra laughed as she straddled Asami and pinned her arms. "One… two… three! SHIRT!"

"Doesn't work that way!" Asami grunted once Korra finally released her. "I said if I didn't take something off myself, you could call it — and how was I supposed to do that with you still on top of my arms, hmm?" Pushing herself up again, she immediately hooked her thumbs under the waistband of her shorts. Now she was down to the tank top and her jet black underwear. Two more pins and she would be completely nude. That couldn't happen; she had to get her head in the game!

"You never mentioned circumstances under which three seconds might pass," Korra grumbled. But she wasn't going to complain about Asami fighting in her underwear, either. "Anyway, you'd better get serious! Or pretty soon, I won't be able to take you seriously!" Circling around behind Asami, she moved quickly to try to keep that position as her opponent turned and moved. "Great view from back here!" she teased.

Pursing her lips at Korra's lewd-as-usual behavior, she dropped down and back, driving her elbow up and at Korra's solar plexus with as much speed and force as she could muster. This wasn't over!

Korra barely dodged Asami's elbow; it grazed her chest as she sprang out of the way. "Good view from here too," she teased as she moved around front. She made as though she was going in for a palm strike, but instead she squeezed Asami's breast through her shirt for a split-second before rolling out of range of another strike.

"Gotcha!" she giggled.

Cheeks flaming red, Asami snapped, "KORRA!" as she sprinted across the room. Just as Korra aimed a kick up at her chest, however, she dropped from sight, sliding across the floor and taking Korra's remaining leg out from under her with both arms, turning her body to make sure she went down backward.

Korra shouted indignantly as Asami slid towards her and knocked her off her feet, flat on her back. She was down, fair and square. Immediately she sat up and began unwinding her breast bindings, grinning at Asami all the while. "You didn't say anything about groping in the rules! Just no face hits, and no spitting."

"No, I didn't," Asami admitted primly as she waited for Korra to unwind them. "But it's a pretty cheap shot, I think — and you know mine are sensitive!" However, her eyes were drawn to the slowly-shrinking covering on her partner's chest. "Fine. Can I grab yours then? It's only fair."

"You can try," Korra replied, winding the last of her binding around her fingers and tossing it aside. It would be a little harder to fight with her breasts moving around freely, but she hoped their… _motion_ would distract Asami enough to give her some advantage.

Standing up and taking a defensive stance, Korra gave Asami a "bring it on" wave and grinned like a mad fox. "Come and get me, then. Grab one."

"Is that a challenge?" Asami giggled as she resumed her ready stance, hands up to guard her face. Of course, as Korra started to move herself... and things began bouncing...

 _'NO!'_ she ordered herself, even as her body began to heat up very slightly. _'You and her are going to take care of that later, of course, but for now you are working... on..._ defeating _her!'_

"Of course it's a challenge!" Korra replied, moving a little closer to Asami and bouncing on her heels. She saw her lover watching her breasts bounce with reddening cheeks, and she knew her plan was at least somewhat working. She moved suddenly out of her defensive stance into a surprise kick, catching Asami just below the neck.

And Asami went stumbling, one of her arms waving out to the side and pain blossoming along her spine. Of course, Korra could have kicked her much harder than that, but it still stung. Somehow she managed to stay upright long enough to shake off the daze and reoriented herself, circling slowly as she looked for an opening.

"If I catch one, do I get to keep it?" Asami laughed quietly.

"I guess that depends on you!" Korra laughed playfully. "Try to keep it if you can…"

The Avatar winked before circling around Asami and aiming a feinting hooked punch as though trying to catch her opponent on the neck. But Asami seemed to see through her ruse, and she moved around Korra. Then, in that fateful moment, Korra realized the telegraphic fury of her punch had left her off balance…

Asami didn't quite know why she did it; the exposed nature of Korra's stance and their discussion just seemed to make it the most obvious move in the world. A second after Korra realized it was too late to fix her stance, she felt Asami's body collide with her back, hands groping at her breasts, squeezing them hard as she shoved her forward and they fell to the ground. Korra landed face-first with Asami on her back.

"UGH!" she grumbled, slamming her fist on the ground. She only had one real piece of clothing left to remove...

"Hmmmmm," Asami intoned while giving them alternating squeezes. "Quite nice, very ripe." Then she got up and stepped back to give Korra room to stand and discard her clothing.

"Yeah, I know," Korra replied cockily. She glanced around briefly, making sure none of Asami's servants were lingering nearby, before untying her drawstring and letting her pants fall to the ground. Then she stepped forward, completely naked except for her hand wraps.

"Next time, we're starting with the same amount of clothing," she teased.

This caused Asami's throat to bob up and down. "I... suppose that would be more fair." For some reason, she had been expecting Korra to have something on under her pants, even though she didn't seem to have the last time she took them off. Backing up shakily, she managed to reach the door to the training room and turn the lock. Now for the real fun to begin.

Korra laughed at Asami's expression, placing her hands on her hips and flexing her abs just for show. "You think you can handle me like this?" she teased, returning to her defensive stance. "You gonna be able to focus, or are you just gonna stare now?"

"Well, I do like the view. However... didn't I win our sparring match?" Pacing forward, Asami placed her hands on both of her hips, feeling a surge of satisfaction. She did win. It was unexpected, and partly due to Korra's tendency to wear as little as possible, but it meant she wasn't completely helpless. Something she sort of needed after what happened in the spirit world.

"Me winning... does it mean I'm entitled to a prize?"

Korra frowned. In hopes that she'd be able to pull an underdog victory, she'd planned on insisting that her hand wraps counted as a garment. But the way Asami looked at her, hands on her cocked hips, and talking about a prize… it changed the way she viewed her defeat.

"Okay," Korra replied, relaxing into a casual stance and crossing her arms. "Yeah, I guess you did win. Name the prize, champ." She winked and gave her lover a wolfish grin. "Anything, just name it."

"I just want you," the victor began. But the wolfish grin reminded her too much of the one from before, the one on Korra's face when the Spirit was possessing her. Before she could stop the words, they were tumbling from her lips and into the air between them. "Want you to be mine, completely and totally, until we leave this room."

The grin shifted slowly into a more curious smile. "Asami…" she said slowly, sensuously. "That's…a really good idea." What a perfect way to end a sparring match won mostly fair and square? And more importantly, it would be a good way to help make amends for the… unfortunate things that happened between them in the Spirit World. She'd hand over control to Asami and show her the trust she was willing to give her.

Beginning to unroll her hand wraps, Korra took a few steps towards Asami, rather showily rolling her shoulder as though working out a tense muscle from sparring. "I'm all yours. I await your command, Miss Sato."

A disbelieving laugh burst from Asami's throat. "Command?" She hadn't necessarily meant it that way... but the more Korra's words echoed through her head, the more attractive the thought sounded. Being in command of the Avatar? _Her?_ No one else had been offered that kind of deal — at least, not in a lifetime or more. And watching the deft hands unrolling the hand wraps gave her an idea.

"Then here's your first command, my servant," she tried out on her lips. "Stop doing that and put your hands behind your back."

Korra bit her lip with the effort it took not to smile, and she still failed. She couldn't believe Asami took on this domineering role so confidently. Then again, she was used to having servants at her beck and call…

"As you wish," the Avatar replied with a smile. Immediately letting go of her hand wraps, letting them dangle half-wrapped from her wrists, she crossed her arms behind her back and waited.

"Good, good." Then Asami paced around behind her and picked up the loose ends. Looping them around the opposite wrists a couple of times, she then tied them in the middle with a very secure knot. Enough wiggle room was left for Korra to move her arms back and forth, but not very much; she'd have to use Bending to either ignite the wraps or perhaps use a bit of earth to slice through them.

Korra was grinning the whole time Asami was binding her like a war captive. She rolled her shoulders and pulled with her arms a bit, testing their strength and give, before looking over her shoulder to give her lover a playful wink. "Very good, Miss Sato."

For some reason, in this instance the playful wink irritated Asami instead of gratifying her. It was as if she were not being taken very seriously. Pursing her lips, she reared back one hand and delivered a swift smack to Korra's firm backside — earning her an almost indignant yelp.

"Hey, who said I needed you to tell me how good my knot-tying is?" Then she rubbed one cheek in a slow circle as she leaned in to whisper throatily into Korra's ear, "We'll have to do something about that attitude of yours."

As her lover rubbed that spot slowly and complained about her attitude, Korra's eyes fell upon the faint red marks on Asami's neck and shoulders, still barely visible beneath the flush of her excitement. Fair was fair.

"Forgive me, Miss Sato," Korra said a bit more quietly, averting her gaze downward. "I meant no disrespect."

"That's much better. Now, let's see... what should I do with you?" This was not something Asami had ever expected having to contemplate, but it was an interesting problem. How should she command her lover on this one occasion?

First thing was first. Circling around in front again, she pulled Korra flush with her and breathed onto her lips, "Kiss me."

Korra was more than happy to obey. She leaned her head forward just enough for their lips to touch, giving her lover a slow and sensual kiss. She fought her urge to nibble at her lip or pull away with a wink; that would shift the balance of power. Instead she kept their lips pressed firmly together and waited for Asami to order otherwise.

It was, in fact, a few minutes later when Asami thought to do anything else. Korra just felt so fantastic that she wanted to keep it going. to keep engaging their lips forever. But she did have a mission. What other things might be done in this kind of situation?

"Alright," she breathed shakily at last when she released from the Avatar and stood back, wiping at her sweaty brow. By the time Asami pulled away, Korra was nearly breathless, having lost herself in the pleasure of their kiss. "Now that we've... covered that, I want you to bow before me. Show me just how much you cherish me with your bow."

"Yes, Miss Sato," Korra replied softly. Lowering herself slowly to the ground, she sat for a moment on her knees before bowing forward and placing a soft kiss on top of each of her lover's bare feet. Then she looked up at her with bashful eyes.

"Forgive me, Miss Sato," she all but whispered. "No mere bow can express how much I honor and cherish you."

Blinking in mild surprise, Asami curled her toes away from Korra's lips on instinct, even though the kisses still touched the tops of her feet. They were probably at least somewhat sweaty from their sparring session. Did Korra really love her so much that she'd even kiss her in such a place? No one had ever been so deferential to her in her entire life — certainly not Mako during their brief romantic association. It blew her mind more than she cared to admit.

But those baby blue eyes were still looking upward expectantly. "Do... that again," she breathed, raising her leg so the sole was hovering in front of Korra's face. Once more — she had to be sure. Some part deep within her had to know this, to test her lover before the moment passed.

Korra hesitated only for a brief second before placing another kiss on the sole of Asami's foot. "Of course, Miss Sato," she replied with one more kiss. "Anything for you."

The gentle sensation on her tender skin was like a dream; if it hadn't been delivered by Korra's lips, she might not have minded it in the slightest. Being that it was, however, she quickly lowered her foot away from them and cleared her throat, hoping her blush wasn't as noticeable as it felt.

"Th-that's good enough, servant." Reaching down, Asami caressed her dampened hair and whispered, "Would you like your reward for being so loyal?"

Korra smiled, leaning ever so slightly into Asami's hand as she stroked her hair. In truth, Korra hadn't ever imagined herself being so blatantly subservient… but for Asami, it made sense. Asami was the only person in the world who would ever be so privileged to see the mighty Avatar grovel on her knees.

"Yes, Miss Sato," she replied softly, turning her head to kiss the palm of her hand, as well. "If it pleases you, I would like that very much."

Asami's blush only deepened at the sensation; it wasn't as sensitive as feeling it on her foot, but the same amount of affection shone through. Still, she had business to attend. "Alright. Then just follow my hand."

Then she began to walk backward, bending at the waist to draw Korra's face very gradually down to the floor. Ironically, this ended up putting her face next to her feet again, but that was a mere coincidence. Korra did as she was told, keeping her face pressed against her lover's hand until she was bent completely at the waist, legs folded underneath her and face touching the soft floormat. This position wasn't exactly comfortable, but if it was what Asami wanted, she was willing to comply.

"Now..." After a moment, Asami began to slowly pace around her prostrated lover, drinking in the beauty of her form. Even in such a compromised position, arms trussed behind herself, she was still the picture of physical fitness. Sheer perfection. "Now you're going to get your reward."

Korra's muscles tensed and her breath quickened as she imagined what her 'reward' might be. Did Asami really intend to give her pleasure? Or was this payback for what happened in the Spirit World? She deserved payback, Korra thought, for the pain she caused her…

"Thank you, Miss Sato," Korra said quietly, resting her cheek on the mat so she could speak clearly. "For your generosity."

Yes, Asami had gone into the moment thinking she might give Korra such a brutal time that it would drive the Avatar to tears, much the same as had happened to her. But in the end, it wasn't what she really wanted. All she wanted was the opportunity to be in control; it didn't have to mean the same type of treatment. Asami was not inhabited by a mischievous spirit, after all.

But that didn't mean they weren't going to test a few limits. "Don't thank me yet," Asami growled as her hand reached down to ghost over the taut lower back. "I'm not done playing with you."

Korra gave an excited hiss when she felt Asami's hand drifting gently over the small of her back. Spirits, how she wanted to turn and pull her lover into her arms! How she wanted to beg her for release! But she couldn't; she'd made a promise. "A-As you wish, Miss Sato," she breathed.

So Korra was still determined to let whatever happened happen. Perfect. After a moment of contemplation, Asami seated herself behind the Avatar, able to see quite a lot from that vantage point. The quivering told her that her lover was begging for release — maybe not with her mouth, but with her body. Therefore, perhaps the most fun way to exert her control would be to do things slow and teasing rather than fast and primal.

"Wow, you have quite an exquisite flower here," she remarked as her perfect index fingernail traced its way down one outer labia, just ghosting over the flesh, making Korra shiver and moan.

"Th-Thank you…M-M-Miss Sato…" It took all her strength not to rock back into that teasing finger.

"Oooh, and so wet already. Is that sweat, or are you... looking forward to this?" Leaning forward, Asami took a deep inhalation of her scent, and made sure to breathe out directly onto the wetness. "No, that is definitely not just sweat."

Korra gave a low groan as Asami's warm breath ghosted over her sex. "Nnnnn-n-ah! Miss Sato, I… I always look forward to your touch." It was so hard not to break down and beg and tug at her bonds! Spirits, she didn't know how long she could keep this up. But she was bound and determined to last as long as she could.

Of course, Asami could tell Korra's resolve was weakening. She wanted to push it, yes, but not to "break" her. Therefore, she began to press her finger into the folds now, still moving it up and down at a snail's pace but at the least touching her properly. A relieved sigh escaped Korra, and for a moment her whole body relaxed.

"Ahh! Th-Thank you! Nnnn…that feels so good…"

"Does it?" A little laugh escaped from Asami before she could stop it; that wasn't part of her "commanding" role! But Korra just sounded so relieved to be touched that she couldn't resist. She leaned up and left a tender kiss on one of her hindcheeks as she continued to caress her softness.

Korra smiled when she heard her lover's laugh. Even in this domineering role she played, she was still the same sweet, loving Asami that she knew. The Avatar's toes curled slightly against the mat at all the teasing and she gasped, "Nnnn-ahhh! Ohhh…"

This time, Asami caught herself before the laugh escaped. It was turning her on, but it was also amusing. This was quite the unique experience! "Seems as if you enjoy that," she told Korra as her other hand reached down and trailed a fingernail over the curling toes. "If this is any indication."

Korra jerked a little and whimpered when Asami's other hand caressed her toes. "Y-Yessss!" she gasped. "S-S-So much! n-nnnnn…please!"

"Please what?" Asami honestly wanted to know. Was it the continuing touch that got her off, or the kissing of her surrounding flesh? Really, it could go either way, and she wasn't experienced enough to guess at the answer.

"P-Please touch me more!" Korra gasped almost desperately. "I need you! It… it feels so good! Please!"

"Touch you more? Alright." Multiple fingernails fluttered over her sole at top speed. Asami knew this was a dangerous game — tickling being such an odd thing to do in this situation, if Korra was indeed ticklish at all — but she wanted to see if that could force Korra to speak her desire aloud, to be explicit.

However, Korra's whole body jerked and tensed as Asami suddenly began tickling her foot. _No!_ This wasn't what she wanted, at all; Korra hated being tickled. The laugh that escaped her lips was barking and shrill, more like a cry than a true laugh.

"HAHH! N-NO!" she squealed. "PLEASE NO! I-I-I mean, g-get me OFF! NNNnnnAHAHAHA PLEASE!"

"Alright, alright!" Asami giggled, stopping immediately. Korra gave a long, low sigh of relief the moment the tickling stopped. That was not a sound she wanted to hear from Korra again; it wasn't quite pain, but it wasn't pleasure, either. It was a very mild form of panic, if she had to give it a name. "So you want more of... this?"

And immediately, she began to grind her finger up and down much, much harder. And faster. There was no entering happening yet, but she was definitely not just being slightly teased anymore.

"Ohhhh thank you," she moaned unabashedly. "I… oh, yes! Yesss…"

"You like that? Does my servant like when Miss Sato gives her what she wants?" Asami wasn't sure why she was referring to herself that way, but it seemed to suit the moment. She punctuated her question by sinking her teeth into the firm muscle of Korra's backside.

Korra gasped and jerked with surprise when Asami bit her ass firmly, just like she'd bitten her neck. The sound she made was startled, but unabashedly pleased. "N-N-NAAGH! Ah, y-yesss… yes, M-Miss Sato!"

Withdrawing from the bite with a small kiss, Asami panted heatedly, "Sounds as if you like that, as well. Do you... want me to bite more?"

The Avatar nodded a little against the mat as she replied, "Y-Yes! If…if it pleases you, Miss Sato."

It did please her. For whatever reason, hearing Korra cry out with pleasure that just barely bordered on pain was extremely pleasing to her, though she couldn't for the life of her figure out why. Shrugging it off, she raked her teeth down the fleshy hemisphere, growling deep in her throat. As she did so, she added a second finger to the first, rubbing both of them up and down her slit with intensity and purpose.

But still not entering. She wanted Korra to be almost out of her mind before that happened. Now the Avatar couldn't help but rock back a little into her touch, practically begging for her to enter and give her satisfaction.

"Yessss! Yes, please!"

"Please what?" Asami asked as she reached up with her free hand and ran her nails very lightly down Korra's back — just enough to give her a shiver. "Tell me what you want. Tell me exactly, servant."

Strong arms tugging reflexively at their bonds. "Miss Sato! I…I want you inside me, please! I-I've never needed you so bad before!" This was the truth, at least in a way; for although Korra had pined over Asami for a long time, and lusted after her strongly, the pent-up desire and need she felt in this moment seemed earth-shattering.

That was enough; Asami couldn't stand withholding what Korra so obviously more needed than wanted anymore. It sent a surge of desire through her that threatened to unseat her, but she would remain steadfast. First Korra, then herself.

"Then you shall have me."

Licking her lips, she drew the two fingers up and slid them quickly inside, careful of her nails. Perhaps she would have to reconsider her manicure. Korra gave a long moan; immediately, she rocked her hips back against her hand, whimpering as she sought release.

"Yes, _yes,_ please! Nnnnnnn-ahhh, yes…"

Holding them deep inside of Korra for a moment, she leaned in and took another bite of the delicious apple in front of her. The flesh and sinew were just the right size, shape, and feel to be oddly satisfying every time.

Korra was so worked up already that she was dangerously close to release, and feeling Asami's teeth firm on her rear again made her cry out in delight. All she needed was for Asami to move her fingers, to grant her that sweet ecstasy. "NNNNNAGGH! Ah! Ah-I-nnnnnnpleaseAsami _please…"_

"Before I do, one question." Leaning in, she asked, "Do you want it slow... hard and fast... or do you want me to _really_ punish your body?"

The poor woman nearly whined with frustration as she rocked her hips firmly back against Asami's hips. It was almost cruel of her to tease now, she thought, and it was harder than she could bear. "NnnNNNGH punish me, _anything,_ just make me come! Pleeease…"

The darkest smile that had ever crossed Asami Sato's face blossomed. Luckily, Korra could not see it. "Then get ready."

Then she dropped back, lined up her arm just right, took a quick breath, and began ramming the two fingers in and out as fast as her body was capable.

"Ahh! _Ah!_ AH! _NnnnNNNNAAAGHHHHASAMI!"_ Korra nearly screamed when Asami began pumping her fingers maddeningly fast inside her. The sensation made her back arch and her toes curl. It only took a few moments of that for the Avatar to fall over the edge and clamp down hard around her lover's fingers, coating her hand with her juices.

"Hah!" Asami let out when she felt it. Maybe Korra had been a lot more ready for the end than she thought! Licking her lips, she kept it up for a few more seconds as Korra rode the wave of her climax, feeling the hot flesh grating more closely around her digits. Then, when she was too breathless to go any longer, she slumped forward onto her shoulders and gave a low groan.

"Spirits, Asami… that was… that was amazing… p-please untie me so I can hold you? Ohhhhhman..."

Slowly withdrawing her fingers now that Korra was through, Asami left a much softer kiss on her behind, one full of tenderness and compassion. "Perhaps. But I have a request before I release you."

Korra gave a soft whine of impatience, flexing her shoulders against her bonds… but the game wasn't over. She had to give in. "Anything, Miss Sato. Name your request."

Rather quickly, Asami crawled around to Korra's front and seated herself in front, her face mere inches away. The sides of her feet were up against Korra's shins, and Korra couldn't help but smile at their positioning. "I want to experience your... tongue skills again."

"Spirits, yes! I m-mean… I'm always more than happy to pleasure you this way, Miss Sato," she teased. "I love the way you taste..."

Scooting a little less than an inch forward, Korra placed a soft kiss on her lover's thigh before eagerly pressing her lips against her center. Asami was wet and eager after pleasuring her. This was going to be wonderful...

"I want to see," Asami breathed heatedly, finally allowing herself to feel all of the arousal she had been forcibly ignoring up until this moment. "I want to see if you can move my underwear and pleasure me, all without using your hands. Most of all... I just want to feel you. Are you up to the challenge?"

"Of course I am," Korra replied with a laugh as she continued to tease Asami through the fabric of her panties. "No challenge is too much to please you, Miss Sato."

Hoisting herself up a little, Korra grabbed the waistband of Asami's underwear with her teeth and gave a firm tug. It would have been so easy just to tear them in half… but instead she alternated sides with care to drag them gradually down. Truth be told, Asami was quite grateful for Korra's care this time. Her mind related the careless treatment of her clothing to the trickster Spirit's antics now. Raising her hips when the time came, she helped Korra as much as she could until they were sliding off her ankles.

"There. Now..." Her hindquarters edged forward, closer and closer to the lips that would sate her urges.

Right away Korra dove in, wasting no time in pressing her lips against the wet, naked folds before her. She wished she had her hands to grip Asami's backside and pull her closer… instead, she could only press her tongue more firmly against the dripping entrance.

"Nnnhh," Asami intoned without reservation, one hand falling to rest on Korra's head while the other slid backward, supporting her weight. Oh, all that Korra could do with only her mouth! Korra moaned softly in response, her voice vibrating against her lover's skin. The hand upon her head spurred her to slip her tongue inside, moving it very gently up and down to tease her.

When the writhing tendril found its way inside of her, there was nothing to stop Asami moaning louder and louder. It was so glorious! All she wanted was to remain in this eternal moment, to feel the prodding at her inner walls until stars exploded around her eyes. Already she felt tingles echoing out from everywhere she was touched, her muscles clenching down and releasing at random. It was more than she could have dreamed.

Korra smiled against her lover's sex and probed deeper with her tongue, curling and twisting it playfully to torment her as much as possible. The noises Asami made were so beautiful… she could listen all day and night, if her mouth wouldn't wear out in an hour or two.

Very quickly, Asami began to buck into the mouth that was bringing her endless pleasure. Her throat was tight and her muscles were clenching from her abdomen to her knees. The fingertips in Korra's hair gripped tighter, holding her against her wet sex as it was steadily played like an instrument. Having worked on her lover before had turned her on to such a degree that she already felt halfway there.

Grinning with triumph at feeling how close Asami already was in every part of her body, from the squeezing and fluttering walls of her sex to the persistent tug of her fingers, the Avatar moved her attention upward, to her lover's swollen clit. She laved her tongue over it in one slow motion before taking it tight between her lips.

"NNNHHHH!" Asami called out as she finally could no longer support her weight, falling back against the mats, sweat-soaked hair fanning out around her head. It was good — too good to be allowed, those lips pulling at her most sensitive place, and her climax was welling up at an exponential rate. It would all be over in moments. "KORRA!"

Korra knew now what that desperate tension in Asami's voice meant. She was close. Spirits, how she longed to hear her scream with her release! She began rolling her tongue quickly across her swollen clit, keeping it held tight between her lips.

That was plenty. Within a few more strokes of the fabulous tongue, with the pressure from her lips added into the equation, Asami climaxed hard and fast, thighs clamping around Korra's head as she rode out the blazing pleasure, every inch of her sex feeling as if it would burn away. Korra gave a joyful moan as Asami's thighs tightened around her neck and a gush of warm fluid hit her face. She didn't let go with her tongue and lips until her lover's cries and shaking ceased.

Finally, once Asami was a panting, sweating mess on the floor, her entire body relaxed and she managed to squeak out, "Y-you... really can do that... with both hands tied behind your back..."

Korra sat back up and smiled at her. "Heh… yeah! I can do a lot of things with my hands tied behind my back."

"Do y-you..." Taking a deep breath to cleanse her mind, she tried again. "Do you need me to... untie you?"

"Yeah, that'd be nice," she replied with a laugh. "This was great but my shoulders are really starting to hurt..."

After another breath, Asami was able to sit up and crawl over to her lover's wrists and untie them. Shortly afterward, she collapsed again, curling around Korra's leg weakly.

The moment her arms were free, Korra leaned down to scoop Asami into her arms. Pulling her weakened lover into her lap, she kissed her cheek and nuzzled against her neck. "Did you like that?" she whispered softly near her ear. "Having the Avatar as yours to command?"

A lazy smile spread across Asami's face. "You know... I did. Wasn't sure I would, but something... about it was really fun." Then she prised one of her green eyes open and gazed up at Korra's sweat-soaked features. "Did you? I mean, it was okay, right? No... you weren't scared or anything, right?"

"Of course not! I wasn't scared," Korra replied kindly. "It was fun!" She chuckled a little. "Being in control is still my favorite, but I like that a lot, too." She placed another kiss against Asami's cheek. "So anytime you want to be in charge for a little while… _Miss Sato…_ you just say the word, okay?"

"Okay," Asami laughed, leaning up just enough to kiss Korra's cheek in return. "Because I think I'll be okay with it this way... as a give-and-take. Both of us getting our turn on top."

Korra hugged Asami close for a long while. "Yeah, I like that idea," she replied softly. After a few moments of their breathless embrace, Korra pulled back a little and said, "Did that make you hungry? Because I'm starving."

Laughing, Asami reached up to pet her hair. "Didn't we just finish eating breakfast? You really are a bottomless pit."

"That works up an appetite!" Korra said indignantly. "You can't really mean you're not even a little hungry!"

"Maybe a tiny bit." Pushing to her feet, she stretched both arms over her head and groaned. "Ooh... we're going to feel that in the morning. Or I will, at least — maybe the Avatar doesn't get those little aches and pains."

"I get aches and pains," Korra replied a little smartly, rolling and flexing her shoulders again. "Probably gonna feel those ropes in the morning… no big deal though."

Moving steadily around the room, Korra began gathering all the clothes she could find. They'd been scattered all over the gym mats. Tugging on her pants and beginning to wrap her breast bindings, she said a little sadly, "I guess you gotta go do business stuff now, huh?"

Nodding, Asami did the same, catching some bits Korra threw to her and throwing back others. "I do, I'm afraid. But I suppose we have time for a light snack before I have to change and start my day." Then she returned to the screen and began switching out her gym clothes for her pyjamas again. "If you'd care to join me?"

Korra raised an eyebrow as she finished with her bindings and tugged on her shirt. "Join you?" She walked around the screen to stand next to Asami. "You mean back here, or for your business stuff? I don't know if I'm cut out to be representing Future Industries or anything…"

"I meant for the snack," Asami snorted. But something in Korra's voice made her hesitate. "Although... maybe I'll see what I can do about the rest." Korra chuckled, privately thinking that a snack sounded more within her skill set. Again wearing her pyjamas and robe, Asami offered an arm to her lover and sparring partner. "Shall we?"

"Certainly, _Miss Sato,"_ she teased with a wolfish grin as she took her lover's arm.

_~ To Be Continued ~_


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> CHAPTER WARNINGS: homophobia, and that's it this time!
> 
> NOTE: Largely story-based this time. Sorry about the delays, I'm just doing a LOT right now. If you check out Elsanna.tag.team on Fanfiction.net, I'm working on a few fics over there!

Although they always had breakfast and dinner together, and slept together, Korra felt she didn't see nearly enough of Asami for the next two days. She understood that she had a very large company to run, and that Republic City was in desperate need of her creative engineering to fix the infrastructure. Still, it was terribly difficult to be apart after being together every moment for so long.

On her third night in Asami's mansion, Korra decided she'd been cooped up long enough. She was starting to get stir-crazy, passing most of her free time training in the gym and lounging in Asami's pool. There was only so long she could do that before the shine wore off.

"Can we go out for dinner tonight?" she asked out of the blue after she greeted her lover at the door. "It doesn't have to be anything special, I could just use a change of scenery."

Though Asami sighed, she was also smiling as she set down her briefcase near the door. "Of course we can. In fact, I think I need that right about now." It had indeed been several long hours of endless meetings and negotiations with stubborn people, and taking a break from it all with the only person in the world who mattered sounded like precisely the remedy for such a slow headache.

"Ohhh that's great," Korra said with a grin. She'd been even more eager to get out than she let on. "I thought maybe we could eat dinner and then go for a walk in Central Park. Maybe get one of those silly turtle-duck boats… you know, ironically?" She grinned and shrugged. In truth, she was hoping to hold and kiss Asami on a lake, surrounded by pretty lights, without giant mushrooms cat-calling at them. Some _quiet_ romance!

"You really want to ride one of the turtle-ducks?" she laughed, but she was already in the process of taking off her boots so she could change. Then her movements paused. "Or... well, did you want me to get dressed up or just go out as we are? Wouldn't want to presume."

"Ironically," Korra reminded her with a humorous tone. "Um… well. I mean, I always enjoy seeing you dressed up, but I don't exactly have something to match. All my really nice clothes are at Air Temple Island." She paused for a moment, wondering if she was going to continue staying with Asami for a while. Would it be too weird to move her stuff into her girlfriend's mansion? "I'd hate to bother Tenzin and Pema during their dinner."

"Then we'll go somewhere more casual." Immediately, Asami picked up the boots and exchanged them for some unimpressive shoes, then hung up her more formal jacket, leaving the rest of her outfit as it was. "What do you feel like? Soup, or something a little meatier?"

"Meatier!" she replied enthusiastically. "Wait — ohhh man, I've got the _best_ idea! Mako and Bolin once took me to this place that serves Fire Nation food and had live music! It's definitely meaty."

Grinning from ear to ear at Korra's childlike joy, she couldn't help but have a spring in her step as she rejoined her side, leaning in to press her lips against the strong jaw she loved so much. "Anything your heart desires."

"Sweet!" Korra exclaimed, flushing pink as Asami kissed her jaw. "Anything my heart desires, huh?" She put her arm around her and winked suggestively. "Well then this is gonna be a great night! Hey, can we drive there in one of your Satomobiles?" Korra had seen Asami's collection of vehicles a couple of times but she'd only had the chance to ride in two of them. One of them, she recalled, she'd crashed into a lamppost.

A fact that Asami clearly remembered. "Yes, _we_ can drive there — no, _you_ cannot. You might be the Avatar, but I think you ought to complete the basic safety course before I let you behind the wheel again." But she was already opening the door and leading her down the hall to where she knew the garage to be.

"You can drive, that's fine!" she replied pleasantly, eagerly following her into the garage. She knew she was a horrible driver, and she wasn't afraid to admit it. Besides, she'd have a better view in the passenger's seat, watching Asami's hair blow behind her in the wake of their ride. "You pick the Satomobile. Which one's your favorite?"

"Hmm... well, I've always been partial to this one." She had selected a vehicle with a dark wood finish, outlined by brass and jade. The colours would seem to contrast with each other somewhat, but they actually blended qute well given the contours of the machine and the intricate designs. There was some scrollwork that many interior decorators would kill for. "But we can ride in another if you'd rather."

Korra was a little surprised to see a Satomobile crafted so artfully, out of such valuable materials. "No, this one is great! It's like nothing I've ever seen." She carefully opened the passenger-side door and sat comfortably in the soft seat. "Does it go fast?"

At such a question, Asami felt her cheeks pulling into a smirk. "Does it ever."

~ o ~

Ten minutes later, the two of them were screaming through the streets of Republic City at top speed, blowing past other Satomobiles as if they were standing still. Asami had her goggles and driving gloves on, more than up to the challenge. This was the life. Much though the serenity of the Spirit World had been great, she had missed the hustle and bustle of the city — not to mention all the creature comforts.

Korra too enjoyed the thrill of a high-speed ride, though she preferred to do so without goggles or gloves. She wanted to feel the full speed of the wind against her eyes, to feel the rumbling machine beneath her fingers. "This is awesome!" she shouted over the traffic. "Okay, so this place is on the far side of downtown, a couple streets over from Dragon Flats."

Spinning the wheel with her experienced fingertips, Asami guided it into the proper neighbourhood. "What kind of cuisine can I expect when we get there?"

"Traditional Fire Nation stuff," Korra replied happily, relaxing back into her seat. "Lots of meats cooked whole on sticks, diced up and served with thick spicy sauces… hot and sour noodles… that kind of thing. You can handle spicy food, right?"

Asami's lips twitched slightly, but she smiled and said, "I like to think I can take the heat." In truth, she was somewhat inexperienced with spicy dishes, usually preferring rich and savory, or sweet for her desserts. But she still wanted to try them — at the very least, for Korra's benefit.

Soon enough, they were parking in front of a pagoda-style structure with a neon sign that said "Azuro's Fire Pit" hanging over the entrance. The clientele did not look "rough" per se, but there was a mixture of upper and lower classes. It was at least nice enough to have valet services, so she handed her keys off to the young man and waited for Korra to join her.

As soon as the valet hopped into the car, his eyes wide as he gazed at the dashboard, Korra came up next to Asami and locked one arm into hers. This got them a couple of second glances going through the front door, but nothing too hostile. It wasn't unheard of, after all, for close female friends to walk arm-in-arm. Korra had to wonder, though, if rumors about them had begun to spread.

The inside of the place was just like Korra remembered it. The "Fire Pit" was the only restaurant she'd ever been to that had more than one floor. The ground floor of the pagoda was devoted to drinking and dancing, an activity which had grown very popular during Fire Lord Zuko's reign. In the back-center of the room, a young band was playing that lively, loud music that people were calling "razz." A small crowd danced to the music and mingled around the bar, while the scents of spicy soups and curries floated down from above.

"The dining rooms are the next two floors up," said Korra, leading Asami to a flight of stairs. "And the kitchen is above that."

"Two floors?" Asami asked in some mild surprise as they ascended, stopping in front of a man waiting to be seated once they reached the second floor. Though the music still floated up to them from below, it was muted; perhaps a bit of tricky Airbending. "Well, I've never been to a restaurant so... _tall_ before."

"It's the only one like it I've ever been to," Korra replied with a grin.

Moments later, they were next in line, and being directed to a small, round table by the wall. As they took their seats, Korra barely glanced at the menu. "I already know what I'm getting," she said rather quickly. "Same thing I always get: braised rhino-bird in red fire sauce!"

"Then that is what I'll have, too," Asami laughed. Even if it turned out to be disgusting, she could stomach it once. For Korra. "Anything else you would recommend?"

"Well it comes with bread or rice, and you get a cucumber salad after the main course…" She grinned. "Oooh! Have you ever had fire mead? It's like beer, but with honey and cinnamon! Best thing ever."

Smirking slightly, Asami leaned in slightly and told her in a quieter tone, "You seem to have forgotten that I'm the designated driver. But I'll be glad to try a sip of yours if you want some; it sounds interesting!"

It hadn't occurred to Korra that Asami shouldn't drink if she was driving their vehicle, but it made sense; she'd seen the kind of destruction they were capable of, even in the hands of sober individuals. "Alright," she said with a shrug.

In short order, the waiter came to the table and Korra took care of everything, ordering it all at once. "It takes a little bit to cook," she said as the waiter turned to leave. "But good meat can't be rushed."

Soon after, the waiter returned with their drinks, and Korra immediately nudged her cup of fire mead towards Asami. "You definitely have to try it!"

"Oh, very well." Picking it up gingerly, she sniffed at the top of the simmering liquid. The cinnamon was strong, but the hops in the mead and the honey were so inviting that she couldn't help but be intrigued. After a few more seconds, she decided it wouldn't hurt her too much and accepted a small nip into her mouth.

"Ooh!" she burst out a moment later. "That's surprisingly... delicious! After you get over the initial shock of cinnamon, I mean!"

"I'm glad you agree," Korra replied. "I love it! I've always wanted to get a whole bottle of it from one of those fancy booze vendors…" She took back the cup and took a big drink. "So…" she continued. "Any ideas how you're gonna fix Republic City? Around the Spirit Portal, I mean."

"Well, a few, but nothing concrete." Taking up her own water glass, Asami sipped at it before continuing. "Earthbending to fill in the holes seems the most basic step, and they're already working on that. Otherwise... is it crazy to suggest roads that aren't on the ground?"

She seemed to really want Korra's opinion on the last idea. Thus far, roads had only been built directly upon the land. Bridges across water had been created, yes, but not entire roads suspended above the land itself.

"Roads off the ground?" she repeated, eyes widening curiously. "Huh. I mean…that could actually be really cool. But how would they be held up there?"

"Through a system of pillars," Asami continued excitedly. Glancing around the table, she picked up her napkin and held it aloft. "Obviously this would take a lot of Airbending to hold in place. But it could be done. However..." Then she slid the salt shaker under one end, and the pepper shaker under the opposite. "With a couple of support pillars, like these... an expert Earthbender would have no trouble finding a way to construct them to where they would be stable."

"So the Airbenders would hold up the roads while the Earthbenders moved the pillars beneath them, and then they would just stay up?" Korra grinned as she wrapped her head around the idea. "If you did that…you could even have walkways for foot traffic underneath! Or buildings!" She picked up her knife and slid it between the salt and pepper shakers to illustrate her point.

"Exactly! This way, we could bypass a lot of the Spirit Vine devastation without trying to remove them!" To represent a vine, she laid a straw between the two salt shakers, but under Korra's knife. "And obviously, this has a lot of applications outside of just the Portal area."

"You could make roads go around obstacles, or over entire neighborhoods!" Korra smiled and squeezed her lover's hand. "You're kind of a genius...you know that?"

Flushing with pride, Asami squeezed back. She did know. There were times when she doubted herself, of course, but she had been raised to have an innate business sense. It was one of the few constants in her erratic life. However, hearing Korra praise her always felt good. Every single time.

"Thank you. I only hope the rest of my board members and the President agree with me, but if they do... we can probably move forward with the planning stage in a week or two."

Korra listened and asked questions and did her best to comprehend everything that Asami told her. It was hard, sometimes, as Asami had both a larger intellect and longer attention span than she did. But when she was listening to her lover's voice, time passed quickly for Korra, and it seemed as though it had been no time at all when the waiter arrived with their food.

Korra's favorite dish looked exactly as she remembered it. The big, hearty chunks of spit-roasted rhino-bird were served in a simmering bath of thick, fragrant red sauce. Beside it in separate dishes came a heap of rice and several slices of thick, fluffy flatbread. She thanked the waiter, ordered another fire mead, and quickly began dishing her food onto her plate.

"Okay, so traditionally you take some rice and dump the sauce and meat on it, and then you use the bread to scoop it up and eat it!"

"Like this?" Using her spoon with the utmost delicacy, Asami attempted to follow Korra's directions to the letter. But Korra had already stuffed a huge bite into her mouth. "I… see you are indisposed! Very well."

She dipped a smallish bit of food onto the flatbread and bit the end of it off. It was hotter than she expected — both in temperature and in spice — and though the flavour was extraordinarily good, she found herself panting and fanning her face by the time she chewed up and swallowed it down.

Korra laughed a little as Asami's face reddened. She swallowed her food to ask, "Are you okay? Don't put so much sauce on it. The rice and the inside of the meat kind of cool it down."

Sweating slightly, Asami attempted to heed this advice when she tried again, but she still needed several sips of water. "This... is going to take some getting used to!" Seeing Korra's almost-pitying expression, she brightened and added, "But um, it's really delicious!"

"It definitely takes getting used to," Korra agreed. "But it's worth it, really! And don't forget there's a cucumber salad afterward, and it really cools you off, too."

"Thank the Spirits! I m-mean... that will be a nice counter-balance! Yes, yes it will."

As Asami mopped her forehead with a napkin, she noticed a curious stare from a well-dressed woman a few tables over. Was she really overreacting that much to the spice of the dish? Then she had to wonder if it might be that she had been recognised. So much for remaining incognito about town.

Lowering her water glass, she said, "Korra... don't look now, but some woman is staring at me. Do I have something on my face?"

Korra raised an eyebrow. "Your face? No…" Turning just slightly to look over her shoulder, she saw an old woman giving them a curious glance. Hoping it was just someone who recognized her as the Avatar, she shot the woman a smile; but the woman's frown only deepened.

"Don't pay any attention to her," Korra replied, twirling a piece of bread nervously in the thick sauce. "Ahh… some Fire Nation folks are just snobs about spice levels."

Asami felt like there was something Korra wasn't telling her, but couldn't put her finger on it. Therefore, it was as easy to take her words at face value than to sit there stewing about it. "I suppose. Am... am I really that weak in this area? Should I have been working on this all along?"

"No, of course not!" Korra replied quickly. "Don't be silly. They're the ones being jerks."

As they ate, Korra managed to work through much more of the dish than Asami did, but her lover seemed to be genuinely enjoying the flavor by the end. Korra ate her small cucumber salad in two bites and drank down the last of her fire mead. She was full and happy, and maybe a little tipsy, and her leg was bouncing slightly in time with the music coming from downstairs.

"Hey, do you wanna go dance?" she asked.

Still picking at her own salad, Asami raised an eyebrow. "Dance? I'm surprised I'm not doubled over in the bathroom right now, and you want to dance?"

Korra's face fell. "Oh. You… didn't like it that much?" She looked down a little. "Was it really that bad?"

"No, it was great! Just... my stomach's not used to this kind of treatment, that's all." Then she took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "But you're right about the salad helping."

"Maybe some ginger pop to settle your stomach?" suggested Korra. Feeling bad, she flagged down their waiter and ordered a bottle of the sweet, fizzy beverage for Asami. "Always works for me."

A soft smile graced Asami's red lips as she waited for the drink. "How do you do that? Keep a lookout for me _and_ the entire rest of the world?"

Korra shrugged. She really didn't know how to answer that. Three or four years ago she would have had some smart, cocky line to follow it, but the older, wiser Korra was a bit more uncomfortable with her role as Avatar. "You're easier to take care of than the world," she admitted a little bashfully.

When Asami had finished her pop and was feeling a little better, Korra hopped to her feet and offered her hand. "Come on, let's dance! This is supposed to be some of the best live razz in town, you know."

"I'll take your word for it," Asami laughed lightly as they descended back down to the main floor of the establishment. The music was already in full swing, and a dozen couples were swirling around the ample dance floor. "So… I'm afraid my speciality is ballroom dancing, not this kind of thing. You ready to teach me?"

"I don't know if there's anything to teach," Korra replied casually. "You just kind of feel the music, y'know?" Pulling her gently onto the dance floor, Korra took Asami's hand and wrapped her other arm around her waist. "This one's kind of slow so you just… rock and spin, I guess."

A gentle "ooh" spilled from Asami's lips as she felt her body pressed lightly against Korra's, their feet moving in time to the music. Her previous training made it easy for her to adapt, and she was more than happy to let Korra retain the lead.

By the end of the first mellow number, she was feeling a lot more at ease with herself, smiling contentedly instead of nervously, allowing her eyes to close for short stretches. When the music faded, she stopped along with the other patrons to clap before they struck up a lively number. Korra was a little disappointed; she'd very much enjoyed dancing with Asami close in her arms.

"Alright, help me out a little more on this one," Asami tittered as the other couples began to move quite a bit more animatedly.

"Okay, hold both my hands," she explained, and Asami did so. "And then we—"

"Take your… _display_ somewhere else!" a sharp voice interjected. Korra turned and saw several other couples staring at them with clear hostility. The woman who reprimanded them was a young, upper-class lady of Fire Nation descent. _"Really!"_

The man she was dancing with added, "We shouldn't have to see that, for Agni's sake!"

"Hey, who do you think you are?" Korra shot back, turning to face them both and poking the man in the chest. "Do you have any idea who _I_ am, buddy?"

"Korra," Asami warned, but her voice was drowned out by the first woman.

"Yes, we certainly do — and we should think someone so dedicated to bringing balance to nature would know better than to take part in something so… so unnatural!"

"There's nothing unnatural about… about being in love!" Korra replied, raising her voice. "The Spirits don't have a problem with us, so — so neither should you! They're more 'natural' than anybody!"

One of the other dancing couples booed loudly. As she looked around to see who it was, another young man nearby sent a quick burst of flame skittering across the floor in front of Korra's feet. It didn't touch her by any means, but was close enough for her to feel the heat; he intended to send a message.

"Hey!" shouted Korra, turning to face him with an offensive stance. "You wanna go, buddy?"

 _"Korra!"_ Asami tried again, this time tugging hard on her partner's bicep. "Do we have to do this?"

"Yeah, do you _have_ to do that?" another young woman near the bar shouted over at them.

Asami's hand on Korra's arm gave her pause. She looked around at all the people who had a problem with them, sizing them up as a collective opponent, not just the man who'd shot at her with Firebending. There were too many of them, and if things went sour…

"We can take our business elsewhere, since we clearly aren't welcome!" Korra said angrily. She hated to back down from a fight, but for her reputation and Asami's safety, she had to this time. "After we saved all your asses, like…four times!" With her arm around Asami's shoulder she pushed through the crowd to the front door.

"You're all fucking welcome!" she shouted as she yanked the door open, moved through it quickly, and slammed it shut with a deafening blast of Air.

"I'm sorry that happened," Asami told her preemptively. She wanted to try to soothe her ire as soon as possible rather than let that one event spoil what had been shaping up to be an okay evening until that point.

"It's not your fault," Korra grumbled quietly. She flagged down the valet to fetch Asami's Satomobile and crossed her arms as she waited, tapping her foot on the dark road. "I can't believe them! What right do they have to treat us like that?"

"They don't. Sure, it's their right to have an opinion, but... there ought to be some kind of law against venting it at people who are just trying to have a good time." Pinching the bridge of her nose, she sighed before adding, "Your friend Iroh warned us about this."

"Yeah, he did," Korra admitted with a sigh. She was silent for a moment. The valet pulled up their vehicle and she climbed into the passenger's seat beside Asami. "I guess… I thought maybe people would give me the benefit of doubt, since I'm the Avatar. Maybe I was naïve…"

Pulling away from the restaurant, Asami saw a someone making a rude gesture in their direction through the window. "Maybe we both were. Guess saving the world doesn't count for much in the modern era."

Korra made the rude gesture right back, thrusting her hand upward with a burst of fire for emphasis, as they rolled away from the Fire Pit. Then she sank down into the seat dejectedly with her arms crossed over her chest.

"This isn't fair!" she grumbled irately. "I should be able to take you out and dance and have dinner if I want! What do they expect me to do, hide that I love you?"

"They expect you to love a man," Asami replied quietly as she navigated the roadways, trying to keep most of her focus on that. _"Not_ seeing what they expect confuses them. Confusion leads to fear, and fear leads to anger. It's sad, but it's the natural human reaction."

Korra grumbled something about how they were more natural than any of those assholes, but it was mostly too quiet to hear as they zipped down the roadways. They were silent for a short while, lost in their own sullen thoughts about humanity and how nasty it could be.

Then, out of nowhere, there was the unmistakable sound of an explosion not too far off, followed by screaming.

"You _had_ to hear that, right?" Korra exclaimed, standing up a bit in her seat. "Which way was that?"

"Korra, be careful — this is a moving vehicle!" She wasn't truly worried; the Avatar could take care of herself. "Sounds like it was coming from the center of the city!"

Racing through streets and wide alleyways, they eventually made it to the source of the disturbance. And once they did, they were not pleased by what they found.

A building very near the Spirit Portal was now marred by a large smoking hole in its side. It was an apartment building, and whatever had caused the damage rendered at least two apartments completely uninhabitable for the time being. Several citizens were standing around trying to determine what to do next, and a single officer was gesturing for them to keep back until the fire brigade could arrive.

Korra's jaw dropped as they approached the ruined structure. Once they rolled to a stop, she vaulted out and ran over to a group of people who appeared to be bystanders.

"What happened here?" she asked an older man in shabby clothes.

"It just blew up!" the man replied in a hoarse, breathless voice. "Outta nowhere! Kaboom!"

As the fire brigade arrived, Korra returned to her girlfriend. "What could have done this? It almost looks like someone blew up a whole apartment on purpose."

"I don't know," Asami muttered from where she was standing by the car's side, hand at her chin. "But I have a sneaking suspicion you're right. This looks too calculated to be some kind of Bending gone wrong."

Korra nodded. "Does this thing have a radio?" She patted the dashboard of the Satomobile. "We should get ahold of Chief Beifong. If we're right, and somebody blew up a residence in the city, she needs to know right away."

"Good idea." Hand diving underneath the radio, she found the small handset attached to it by a thick wire and flipped a dial to change it from music to the police band. "Police, come in, police! This is Asami Sato — do you read me?"

The police dispatcher on the other line sounded a bit surprised. "We read, Miss Sato. What—"

Korra cut off the dispatcher quickly. "Get Chief Beifong immediately. We've got a situation!"

There was a muffled shout and a rustling noise, and then the voice of Lin. "Avatar Korra? Asami Sato? What's going on?"

"We have a situation down here at the Spirit Portal," Asami began. "It looks like it might have been a deliberate attack, but we can't be sure!"

There was a long pause before Beifong answered, "I'll be down there with a squad immediately."

The Chief wasn't fooling around. Korra and Asami only had to wait three or four minutes before a Police airship hummed above them and a squad of Metalbenders zipped down with Lin Beifong at their head. The stern woman took one look at the building and her grey brow set with worry.

"Avatar, Miss Sato," Lin greeted each of them with a quick nod as she approached the car. "I've got a hunch you're right — that this was a deliberate attack. The blast pattern doesn't look accidental. But we'll need to clear the building and examine everything to be sure. You two should head home."

"You're sure there's nothing else we can do?" Asami asked. However, she was already opening her car door as she did so; rarely did Chief Beifong speak if she wasn't sure of her words.

"I'm sure. We'll contact you if and when we need your help." She gave Korra a pointed nod. "If this is what you think it is, then we'll definitely be in touch."

Korra was still worked up from the almost-fight at the Fire Pit, and irritated that she couldn't find out more immediately about the explosion; but she nodded curtly and climbed back into the passenger seat. "Thanks, Chief," she replied.

As they pulled away, Asami guided them to one of the longer, straighter roads that would take them toward Sato Manor. Then she drifted one hand over to rest on Korra's thigh. "You doing alright?"

Korra placed her hand over Asami's, taking a moment to answer. "I… I'm honestly really freaked out right now," she admitted. "First those jerks, and now… Why would anybody want to blow up an apartment building? Where ordinary people live?"

"You've got me there. It's so senseless..." Sighing, she spared a brief glance over, only to see Korra's features were tight, her shoulders hunched. Sliding her hand up and down the thigh reassuringly, she went on, "But it's okay to be upset. Just try to remember that Beifong and the rest of the force are working on it; nobody's going to let this remain a mystery."

"Mm." She was ashamed to admit that she was also disappointed they'd come home to so much trouble. She had been a fool, she realized, to even hope that such problems would be gone… to hope their responsibilities would be nothing more than to have fun together and be happy.

"Let's just go home," she said after a while. And she had been the one who wanted to go out tonight!

Nodding, Asami kept her hand where it was as they headed back to the mansion. That had been her intended destination, but if Korra had wanted to go anywhere else, anywhere in the world, she would have changed direction in a heartbeat. But Korra spent the rest of the ride in silence.

When they arrived at the mansion, the Avatar trudged inside with an uncharacteristic melancholy in her gait. She was ashamed of Republic City for treating her and Asami so terribly… and she was ashamed of herself for thinking that things would be any better than this. She should have listened to Iroh. The world just wasn't ready to accept them.

_~ To Be Continued ~_


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> CHAPTER WARNINGS: hot tub, magic penis, fellatio, fondling, doggy style, anal fingering, anal sex.
> 
> NOTE: Again, quite sorry about delays getting this posted. Been doing a lot of work on a lot of things, and hopefully you'll see the fruits of that labour soon! Anyway, on with the chapter!

Neither of the two were in a particularly buoyant mood following that. Eventually, Asami decided she could not help but call the Fire Pit and demand to speak to a manager about the lackluster service they had received. Though the employee's tone turned distinctly more uncomfortable when she deduced the reason for the unpleasantness, she did promise to provide them with a complimentary meal to make up for their negative experience. She said they were entitled to fine Fire Nation cuisine, despite their, to quote, "alternative lifestyle choice." Asami told her that she and her life partner would have to consider it further.

Of course, once she hung up she got no end of razzing from Korra for using the label "life partner", but Asami couldn't bring herself to mind terribly. At least Korra was in a better mood for that moment.

The next morning, they opted to have juice brought to them in the gym instead of eating first. Once they had worked up a sweat — this time, _only_ by exercising — they retired to the dining room for a well-earned breakfast.

Fresh juice and a vigorous workout were exactly what Korra needed, as usual, to take her mind off her troubles. When she went toe-to-toe with Asami it was easy to forget about the Fire Pit, about the explosion, and to just melt into the serene presence of her partner. By the end of their workout she was practically in her own little world.

Then Asami's butler interrupted. Someone was on the telephone for Korra: Chief Lin Beifong. She took the phone with a sudden and renewed vigor, eager as she was for any news about the explosion.

"Avatar Korra," Lin greeted her cooly. "I thought I would find you with Miss Sato. We need to talk, all of us. Can the two of you meet me back at the site of the bombing?"

Korra agreed quickly, said goodbye to Lin, and immediately told Asami everything. "She said it was a bombing, Asami," she concluded softly. "We were right. Someone did that to...to those people's homes, on purpose!"

Deflating on the spot, Asami put down her knife and fork, sliding her fruit away from herself. Her appetite had mysteriously vanished. "As we feared. Did she give you any more details or just ask us to meet there?"

"Just… show up," Korra replied, at a loss. "That's all. Lin isn't really much of a talker, but we gotta go. It's kind of my job to look into this kind of thing, and… well, I'd feel a lot better about it if you're helping me."

"Of course, Korra." Standing up, she turned toward the door before glancing back at her. "Did you... I mean, did it sound urgent? I don't really want to show up to a crime scene in an official capacity wearing a tank top and shorts."

"We should probably put on some real clothes," replied Korra. "But we shouldn't waste time, either. Lin Beifong doesn't ask for help unless she really needs it."

In short order, both Korra and Asami were dressed and off to the scene of the crime in one of Asami's more practical Satomobiles. When they arrived, the place looked almost deserted, except for a couple of police officers standing outside the building. As soon as they parked their car, Beifong emerged from among them.

Something disturbed Korra immediately about the building. "When we were here right after the explosion, weren't there Spirit Vines growing all over one side of this place?" she whispered to Asami.

"You're right," Asami answered her. "Were they removed to examine the scene more thoroughly, or what?" Then they were within a few yards of the chief, and she cleared her throat to address her. "Chief Beifong, good morning."

Lin answered with little more than a nod. This was not, in her opinion, a good morning. "I'm glad you're here," said the chief. "I need your help. Follow me."

Then she turned on her heel and led them into the half-ruined building, straight to the scene of the explosion. It could hardly be called a room anymore; all that was left was a charred doorway opening to the outside world.

"This was a deliberate attack, without a doubt," Lin continued. "But we can't figure out what the exact explosive compound was. That's why we need your help, Asami. And Avatar… do you have any idea how an explosion could have scared away all the vines and Spirits from the building?"

"If I could take a few samples of the debris with me, perhaps myself and Varrick could deduce its composition," Asami said at once before looking to Korra for her opinion on the other matter.

Korra looked deeply disturbed. "I… I've never heard of anything doing that," she admitted. "Maybe they were just frightened? But if it had something to do with the unknown compound, I'm sure and Asami and Varrick can find out."

"We'll do our best," Asami promised the chief.

"Good," Lin barked, motioning to a nearby officer to collect and hand over the samples they had discussed; clearly, she anticipated this to be their course of action. "The sooner we can make these streets safer for all of us, the better. I don't want anything like this happening on my watch ever again."

A few minutes later, they were walking back toward the car, Asami carrying a small leather case full of ash and other evidence. It had a number etched into it, and somewhere there was probably a logbook detailing what had been handed over to her.

"Guess I gotta be careful with this, don't I?" she chuckled quietly. "Wouldn't want to wind up in jail because my staff accidentally threw it out."

"We'd better just… take care of it ourselves," Korra replied absently as they got into the vehicle. Her mind was far away, lingering on the missing Spirits and their vines. Maybe they were overthinking it. Maybe the Spirits had fled for the same reason the humans had. But Korra had a feeling something much darker was happening.

"How soon do you think you and Varrick can get started on that stuff?" asked Korra, after they'd been on the road several minutes.

"Well, if I send him a message, we could probably get on it after lunch," she began warily. When they were stopped at a light, she turned to look at Korra more properly. "Is it making you that nervous? I know this is a terrible thing that happened, but the only real result is a few vines disappearing and some unfortunate property damage."

"Well… I have this weird hunch," Korra replied quietly. "Lin said they didn't know what the explosive compound was. What if… what if the stuff is designed to scare Spirits away?" She looked at Asami, searching her eyes nervously. "I know it sounds crazy, but...do you remember when that taxi driver told us that there were groups of people getting together who aren't happy about living with Spirits? What if someone like that designed that bomb?"

"But... if they can make something like that, what's to stop them fr-"

Her thought was interrupted by a loud horn blaring behind them. It seemed the light had turned while they were speaking. Sighing, Asami pressed the gas pedal down and drove off.

"I'm worried about the Spirit Portal now. If their aim is to destroy that, wouldn't it unbalance the world again?"

"I...I don't know," Korra admitted with a little shame. "There were only two portals before. But I don't know if this one is essential now that it's here, or… or what. There's no precedent for this at all."

Frowning deeply, Asami merely remained quiet all the way back to the Sato offices. If they were going to bring the evidence to Varrick and begin collaborating, perhaps it was best they get straight to it rather than putting it off for later.

"Go ahead and call up Varrick," Korra said as they climbed out of the car. "I think I need to speak with Tenzin and Jinora. If anyone can tell us what this might mean, it's probably them."

Nodding, Asami pocketed her keys and placed one hand on Korra's shoulder. "Hey. While you guys are contemplating gloom and doom, just remember that we're doing our best, okay? Don't... feel too badly that this happened. You can't be everywhere all the time."

Asami's words touched on one of Korra's deepest fears: she couldn't be everywhere at once, and someday, she might be gone when the world needed her most. "I know," she replied softly. Then she kissed her lover's cheek and said, "I'll be back for dinner, okay?"

It was only a brief kiss, but it gave Asami a clearer indication that she was going to be alright. "You'd better." Then the Avatar was streaking through the sky on a swirling ball of air, and she was left to deal with the satchel of evidence.

~ o ~

 _"Ahhhhh,"_ Asami groaned into the empty room as she sank into her bathtub later that evening. "That's _so_ much better."

The day had not been a short one. Varrick, while quite excited to be given first look at such protected evidence as a Spirit-related terrorist attack, was an exhausting individual on the best of days. His wife, Zhu Li, did her best to keep his most irritating tendencies from wearing the two of them down. With moderate success. Still, she had been glad to get out of there.

What she was _not_ glad of, however, was Korra's missing their planned dinner together. She had phoned from Air Temple Island, of course, letting Asami know that Pema had insisted she stay to eat — besides the fact that Tenzin had more questions, both about the explosion and what they had seen during their brief journey through the Spirit World. Though she did miss her presence, she understood. They were family to Korra; extended and eccentric family, perhaps, but family nonetheless.

However, when Korra was still not back by the time she finished her own supper, she decided to draw herself a hot bath and allow the stress of the day — not to mention the remaining sweat from their workout that morning — to wash away. It was positively divine. Within minutes, she had forgotten the entire rest of the world existed, floating there in the heated and perfumed water with only her arms and face above the surface.

Meanwhile, the Avatar in question felt terrible coming home hours later than she said she would, even though she had called to let Asami know and apologize. But, in truth, she had needed to stay. After speaking with Tenzin about the strange attack near the Spirit Portal, as well as everything that had happened in the Spirit World, she knew that she needed to remain and figure everything out. At least now she had something to tell Asami, something a little better than "I don't know."

When she came into the Sato mansion, the first thing she did was call her lover's name — but the butler shushed her and told her that Miss Sato was in her bathroom suite, so she'd simply have to wait. Korra replied curtly, "I think 'Miss Sato' is fine with me coming in." Then she proceeded to take herself upstairs and enter Asami's room, ignoring his few sputtered misgivings.

"Hey," Korra said sheepishly as she stepped into the bathroom, and her eyes fell upon Asami lounging in the big tub full of bubbles. "I'm really, really sorry I'm so late…"

Asami started to sit up, to cover herself in alarm, but then her conscious mind caught up to her instincts; this was Korra. Modesty was no longer necessary. "That's alright," she sighed, head now completely above the water. "You haven't seen them in a while. How is everyone, how are Jinora, Ikki, and Milo? Is the baby getting bigger?"

"Everyone's good," Korra replied a little distantly. She had so much new information to tell Asami, she was a little wrapped up in just where to begin. "Um… is it okay if I jump in with you? I could use a relaxer."

"No," Asami teased, gesturing to the enormous vessel. "This bathtub is clearly only big enough for one person."

Korra was already taking off her clothes when she laughed and rolled her eyes. "Yeah, clearly. Thanks." Then she sank down into the water, releasing a long, tense sigh. "Mmmmm… yeah, that's really nice. So. Umm, how did things go with Varrick?"

Almost automatically, her lover drifted over and nestled herself into the crook of the Avatar's arm. "Nicer now. And Varrick was… Varrick. He did have an interesting notion about the substance, though."

Korra eagerly wrapped her arm around Asami's shoulder as she settled in beside her. "Really? Already? What does he think?"

"Well, there was too little of it to be conclusive, but he says that among the gunpowder there seemed to be traces of mercury." Sighing tightly, Asami lowered her voice as she said, "And I'm sure you remember how much fun you had with that last time."

It took Korra a moment to place the name with the substance, but then she immediately gave an almost-imperceptible shudder. "Mercury…" she repeated softly. When she had been poisoned with it, mercury had wreaked havoc on the spiritual energies in her body. Could it disturb the energy of the Spirits themselves? "We need to get this information to Chief Beifong. She might be able to find our next lead by looking into who's been buying mercury in Republic City."

"We will. Varrick and Zhu Li are still running some tests overnight, to see if they can present more solid findings. They should be finished in time for us to drop by first thing in the morning." Then she passed her hand up and down Korra's abdomen comfortingly. "Don't worry, it was too minimal to affect you, but if anyone was breathing the dust for more than an hour just after the explosion, they might become ill, or lose their Bending temporarily. The effects are unpredictable."

Korra's arm tightened slightly around Asami. "I can't believe somebody would expose innocent people to that," she said in a soft voice. Then again, after all she'd seen and dealt with as the Avatar, maybe she shouldn't have been surprised at all. "But it's… sort of in line with what Tenzin and Jinora said." She took a deep breath before continuing. "I spoke with them about the explosion, and the vines, and… and about the stuff that happened to us in the Spirit World. Then Jinora and I meditated together. She said that the Spirits in and around Republic City are really, really scared right now, because somebody wants to hurt them. But that's all they'd really tell her."

That caused Asami to sit up slightly, searching Korra's face for how she was feeling, what she was thinking. "You... do you think that had anything to do with the Spirits being unkind to us? Not that all of them were, but I can think of a few that certainly misbehaved when compared to their peers."

Asami tried quite valiantly to suppress a shudder, but it couldn't be done; she'd never be able to forget completely, even though she no longer associated what happened with who Korra was. Catching the shiver, Korra's eyes saddened visibly, and she ran a comforting hand up and down Asami's arm.

"Yeah, I know… I know. Tenzin thinks so, anyway. He says he's never heard of… of a possession like mine happening before." She leaned over to kiss her lover's forehead. "Tenzin also said the Spirits are more likely to act out against people when they feel threatened. So the more stuff like this happens, the more dangerous the Spirits will become."

"I see." Leaning up to press her lips into Korra's neck, she sighed as she released the tension that had brewed in her after the memory resurfacing. "As long as we stay out of the Spirit World until we solve this crisis, I don't think it should pose a major problem. Did… you really tell a man like Tenzin everything that happened with your possession?"

Korra blushed a deep shade of red, immediately fearing she had betrayed Asami's privacy and trust. "N-Not everything! Well, I… all the important points, yes, but not the explicit stuff. I told him the Spirit turned me into a man and made me really angry and possessive and… that we had sex, yeah. I- I mean, Tenzin isn't a prude! The man's fathered _four_ children…"

Now Asami was blushing, too. So now there was another person who knew they were having sex — a person who wasn't a Spirit, at any rate. "W-well... I do trust Tenzin, of course. It's not a big problem. But did you _have_ to tell him we had sex?! Gosh, I don't want to know about his and Pema's bedroom activities, either!"

"Well, he said it was important that he have all the information! I didn't want to make him think the Spirits are safe if they aren't right now. And I didn't go into a whole bunch of details! Just that it happened."

"Okay, okay! What's done is done, I guess!" As they both settled against each other again, Asami thought for a moment before saying, "You know… I'm still not sure how I'm going to face Tenzin the next time I see him, but on the other hand it's nice that somebody else knows now. Makes it more real."

"Don't worry about it," Korra replied, trying to sound comforting. "I asked him not to mention it to anybody, and I know he wouldn't embarrass you by bringing it up." In truth, it had been difficult for her to talk about it with Tenzin… especially while trying not to admit to herself how much the memory of it still turned her on. Shifting uncomfortably beneath the water, she said, "So…anyway, I'm just glad to be back. It was a long day."

"Such a long day. A better one now, of course." As she tried to settle, Asami noticed the shifting. Her finger briefly poked into Korra's side. "And I'm guessing that making you think too long about what happened in Spirit World is making this bath a little warmer for you. Gosh, you really are just a walking erection with breasts, aren't you?"

Korra blushed even deeper than before. "I'm a—hey! I… well, maybe that's not so…" Her indignant face melted into a wolfish grin. "Well, around you, how can I not be?" She turned a bit and placed her hands on Asami's hips, running her palms and fingers up and down the wet, soapy curves of her body.

One exasperated gasp later, Asami rolled her eyes. She was smiling, however, and ended up chuckling quietly. "Fine, fine. What is it you want from me tonight?" Her ruby red lips alighted on the end of Korra's nose. "Should we see how long I can hold my breath?"

"Hold your breath?" Korra laughed, growling a little under her breath as she pulled Asami closer. "That won't be necessary…" She did shudder a bit, though, as she imagined Asami ducking beneath the water to pleasure her with her mouth. No, she had something else planned… something she'd been pondering ever since her possession in the Spirit World.

Lifting herself up to sit on the edge of the tub, Korra Bent some water into her hands and began manipulating it into a long shape. "I'm still kind of ashamed of it, and ain't thrilled about how it happened, but… it felt amazing being inside you like a man," Korra explained softly. "I want to do that with you again, except as _me._ In a way that makes you comfortable, and happy…"

As she spoke she moved the tendril of water down between her legs, threading one end of it inside of herself like a phallus, before shaping the other end until something resembling a man's erection was emerging from her sex. "So…what do you think?"

That was definitely not what Asami had been expecting. Just watching Korra's body move had been enough to intrigue her, but the new makeshift appendage was even more alluring. Curious, she reached forward and pressed her finger against the tip; it gave slightly, but did not yield as water would normally.

"How are you doing this?" she asked as she began to stroke along it, feeling her fingers getting wet from the contact even though it never changed in size. "Is it all Waterbending, or did you throw in some Air or Earth?"

Korra hummed with gentle pleasure as Asami touched her new member. "It's all Water," she replied with just a little pride. "I can make it stay like that for ages. And I can… nnnhh… I can feel the ripples when it moves with pressure." It wasn't exactly like having a man's erection, but it was the next best thing, and certainly much less intimidating.

"Really? Hmm..." Rising out of the water slightly more, Asami ran her tongue over the tip of it, barely enough to shift the mass of the shaft. "Do you feel that? Just wanting a frame of reference."

Korra's jaw dropped and a slow shiver traveled up her spine as Asami's tongue drifted over the tip of her member. "Ohm—yes! I can definitely feel that!"

Meanwhile, Asami was equally amazed for a different reason: it felt more rigid than she had been expecting. Not like the real one she had in the Spirit World, but still firm, still a relatively solid phallus. It was rose-scented, as all of the water in the tub was.

"Do you want me to... drink you?" Again, her tongue rolled out, this time encircling the "head" of Korra's temporary sex. Korra gave a soft groan as Asami's tongue went around the head of her shaft.

"Yes!" she sighed, tangling her fingers into the dark hair in front of her and pulling her a little closer. "Yes, please…"

"Mmhh!" Asami cried in mild surprise — but there wasn't nearly the trouble she was expecting. Rather than firm resistance, she felt the length — which was not of a negligible size in any sense — sliding easily down her throat. Her gag reflex tinged once, very mildly, then vanished. It was the easiest thing in the world to take Korra to the hilt with a cock like that.

Korra's eyes fluttered and rolled as Asami took the quivering shaft into her mouth. To her surprise it progressed easily down her throat, until those pretty red lips encircled the very base. Through her close connection to her native element Korra felt the tightness and warmth, and it made her groan deeply.

"Ohhh Spirits…" she shuddered, lovingly cradling Asami's face in her hands. "A-Asami… you… ohhhhh, d-don't stop…"

In all honesty, Asami was pleasantly surprised this was working. A watery facsimile that really stimulated her? She knew partly it was because the base included Korra's clit within it, so clearly the ripples of energy were crashing against that and helping to increase her enjoyment that way. Hoping she was doing this correctly, she began to bob her head up and down experimentally, feeling it slide in and out of her throat with ease. Yes, she had to align herself just right to accomplish that feat, but it was entirely possible and quite easy.

Rendered speechless, Korra simply moaned and clutched at Asami's hair as her beautiful head bobbed gently up and down along the shaft she'd made for herself. This alone was better than having a real erection; this felt more natural to Korra, more real. She needed more. Letting Asami pleasure her like this was magnificent, and yet she longed to truly be inside her.

"That's enough," Korra gasped, gently pulling Asami away from her pulsing shaft and hoisting her up into a passionate kiss. "I need to be inside you," she whispered, kissing gently down her lover's throat. "Please let me take you…"

"Ooh," Asami managed to breathe shakily. Truth be told, she was only vestigially aroused so far, but the urgency in Korra's voice was helping that along. "You... want me up on the edge of the tub, or down in the water?"

"I want you to turn around," Korra whispered, sliding back down into the tub and spinning Asami gently. "I… I want to take you like I did in the Spirit World…" Her voice was nervous but decisive as she gently bent her lover at the waist, placing those slender hands on the edge of the tub. "But better. The way it should have been… for _your_ pleasure."

Of course, Korra loved the view she had with Asami bent over in front of her. Her shapely ass sat just above the water, with the warm surface lapping against her sex, cascades of dark hair tumbling over her pale shoulders. Placing both hands on Asami's hips, Korra ran them slowly up and along her curves, gently cupping both breasts in her palms. Her calloused thumbs ran steadily around soft, pink nipples.

"NnnnNNnhhh! Oh, Korra, you know what that does to me!" Maybe she didn't; there was never a formal discussion of their bedroom activities, other than the Spirit World incident. But the callouses dragging over her sensitive buds only made her want it more; she loved that Korra could be both rough like a man and gentle like a woman. It was everything she could ever want.

Standing on tiptoe, Asami pushed her hind end back against the Waterbent sex of her lover, feeling its length settle against her cheeks. Between that feeling and what was being done to her chest, she was nearly ready to take whatever Korra had to give already — and it had been a mere few minutes since she came home!

Korra smiled and groaned as Asami pressed her firm rear back against her sex. "I know it makes you make the most wonderful sounds," she chuckled, pinching and tugging ever so gently at the hardening buds. After a few more moments of this torture, Korra reached down and gripped her new phallus in one hand, guiding its tip to the outer folds of her sex and rubbing it there in a slow circle.

"Do you want this?" the Avatar whispered, stroking her lover's chest and hip with her free hand. "I need you to tell me."

Biting her lip to keep from moaning out again, Asami nodded, but she knew that wouldn't be enough for Korra — for either of them. Not for a while, anyway. Taking a few quick breaths, she opened her mouth and managed to growl through the curtain of pleasure assaulting both above and below, "Yes, Korra. I... I want it. _You._ I want you."

The moment the words "I want you" passed her lover's lips, Korra pressed her hips forward and entered Asami. She gave a long, low groan as the water of her shaft conformed to those tight walls, sending firm ripples down across her clit and into her own sex.

"Nnnnhhh- _hah!_ Yes! Spirits, Asami…"

The outcry was both sharp and immediate. How could Korra feel this fantastic inside of her — especially when it wasn't even a real cock? Yet even though it was less effective in some ways than the one Korra had sported before, it was far more efficient in others. It filled her _everywhere._ The one hand still playing across her chest only made it that much harder to keep from screaming out Korra's name to the heavens, but she tried, she did her best to behave like a lady. Korra had a way of making that difficult for her, but it didn't mean she was to give up entirely.

Almost right away, Korra took hold of Asami's hips and began gently rocking back and forth against her firm rear, filling her and retreating repeatedly. The sensation through the water felt like the rhythmic roll of ocean waves. "Nnnnnhhh, nn-n-yes! Asami, moan for me… l-l-let go, sweetheart…"

The pressure was too much. "YES! Korra, NNNhhh, it's s-so good! _How_ do you do this to me?!"

Thereafter, with every thud of the wet length deep into her body, Asami cried out with pleasure, hands slipping over the porcelain as she attempted to hang on for dear life. This was one wild ride that promised a big finish at the end.

Her lover moaned in abandon, basking in the sound of Asami's cries and the feeling of her tight walls. Spirits, she was the most beautiful thing in the world!

As Korra looked down to admire her lover, she spotted the tiny, puckered hole above her sex, and a wolfish grin spread across her face as an idea occurred to her. Slightly slowing the rolling of her hips, the Avatar traced one soapy finger just around the tight ring of muscle, pressing with the tip ever so softly.

"Nhhaah! Nnhh- _OH?!"_

That was the sound that came from Asami when she felt something that was most unexpected. Did Korra know _where_ she was touching? Maybe she had merely readjusted one hand and the finger wound up there by mistake. It was a curious sensation, but she should probably let her know right away.

"Korra... th-that's my... your aim is a l-liiittle too high!"

"I know what it is," Korra panted with a soft laugh. She let up on the pressure, just tracing a lazy circle around it with her finger as she continued thrusting against her. "Do you like how that feels?"

Truth be told, it made her weak in the knees — but she wasn't sure if it was the good or bad kind of weakness yet. Merely that it was very, _very_ unusual. Her instinct was to just say "no", to deny that the feeling thus far piqued her interest slightly. After all, that was such a dirty area, and not one she'd ever known to be used in these sorts of activities!

Although, now that she stopped to think about it… she thought she had heard Mako and Bolin jesting about one of them "taking it in the ass" a few times. She had assumed they meant being kicked there, not literally accepting anything into such a tight hole! Was that possible? Was it healthy?

"Korra," she moaned throatily, the thickness within her making it almost impossible to think things through properly. "I... I don't know, I'm... keep going, b-but slow! Please! I'm st- still not sure!"

Korra flushed with desire. "As slow as you want," she whispered, leaning over to press a kiss against her lover's shoulder. Then she probed gently forward again with her finger, barely half an inch past the tight ring of muscle. She even stopped moving her hips for a moment to let Asami adjust to the sensation.

"It feels strange at first," she chuckled. "But I think you're going to like it very much…"

Except she didn't — that wasn't exactly the term she would use. It wasn't enjoyable, but it was... _interesting_. Disbelief and shame flooded through her body as she felt the finger making its sway inside of her. It felt so huge! Yes, it was probably only because she wasn't used to anything going in there, but the fact remained that she could scarcely stretch out to accept it. And all of this while Korra's water-cock was resting within her.

"Do... have you done this to yourself before?" Asami asked weakly as her fingers attempted to hang onto something, anything.

"Yyyep," Korra replied with a smirk. "Sure have." She didn't want to ruin the moment by mentioning that this was one of Mako's favorite ways to take a woman; so she merely focused on giving her lover as much pleasure as possible. "You just have to be _open_ to the possibilities…" She moved her finger a little deeper and gave it a tiny wiggle. "Ohhhh… you're so damn tight!"

"UHHHNGH!" Asami wailed, voice dipping deeper than it normally did during their sessions. Korra couldn't be serious! She was really going to take her in a second hole — even while she was in the first one? Though her conscious mind hated the idea, thought it was vile and depraved, she couldn't deny her body's response. The favourable response — eager, even. It wanted to be taken this way, was more open to the possibility Korra was presenting than Asami wished it were.

The noise Asami made was on the fine line between pleasure and pain, so Korra removed her finger and dipped it in the soap bubbles before sliding it smoothly back in. Then, after another minute of teasing, she added a second finger. The tight entrance reluctantly accepted both digits. Asami's eyes and mouth were all wide with disbelief. This was really working; and she wasn't in any true pain, wasn't kicking Korra for being this presumptuous. Two fingers, inside _there!_

Then after another few moments, Korra removed them both and replaced them with the tip of her water shaft. "Relax," she whispered, massaging her lover's hip as she began pressing gently forward. "Breathe deep."

"Relax?!" Asami burst out in complete shock. "You… that was at least two fingers you just had back there! Maybe three!" But she did nothing else to stop Korra, nothing to prevent what was coming. The round head of the watery shaft was already at her secondary entrance — as she now had to think of it — and showed no signs of slowing. Why was she wasting her breath commenting on what happened before instead of stopping her?

Because she wanted it. That was the Spirits' honest truth: she didn't know how much she would or wouldn't enjoy what Korra was about to put her body through, but she was far too curious now to turn her down.

Korra moved slowly forward until the whole length of her shaft was buried in her lover's ass, and she gave a low moan. "Ohhhh, Spirits...nnn-n-ngh! Asami!"

Why did it feel both so unbelievably wrong, and so satisfying? She wanted it to be bigger, wanted Korra to push it in deeper — and hated wanting that. But like it or not, this was happening, and both of their bodies seemed to be completely ready to do more.

"Korra," she panted weakly, face grinding down against the side of the bathtub. "Do you... like this? Being in me, back there?"

"Ohhhh yesss," Korra replied without hesitation. "Feels so good! Nnnnh… ahh..." She began to thrust steadily in and out before noticing Asami's face resting on the hard tile. That wouldn't do. She angled her hips a little and pulled her lover up and back, so their bodies were pressed tight together, and began fondling her breasts as she moved inside her.

"NO, you c- _AH!_ My _tits!"_ Asami hated hearing herself refer to them that way, it just slipped out. She'd never called anyone's breasts that in her life, and here she was shouting it out as a thick length of Waterbending slid in and out of her ass, the calloused fingers pawing at her chest, sliding over the sensitive nipples. It remained to be seen if she could climax this way, but she certainly wasn't going to complain about how it felt.

Good. Damn her and damn Korra, but she didn't hate it.

For a second, Korra feared that she had hurt Asami, that she needed to stop; but the noises she made were undoubtedly sounds of pleasure. Thrusting a little harder, she reached down to tease Asami's clit with one finger, still gently cupping her breast with her other hand.

 _"Fuck!"_ Another word Asami had never used, yet again emerging without her will making it so. "Korra! Korra, it's s-so much, I'm- NNHHHAH! What are you doing to me?! AHH!" The combined sensations were wiping all conscious thought away, causing her head to spin, her legs to swing back and forth in the water. How could this be so good, so satisfying? The cock wasn't even where it was supposed to go!

Korra couldn't help but laugh between her own moans of pleasure. "I'm fucking your ass," she whispered right against Asami's ear. "That's what I'm doing."

More shame flooded through Asami at Korra's defining words; she really was fucking her ass. Much worse, the shame only seemed to make her body enjoy the treatment all the more — the way Korra stroked her clit a little more firmly, crying out as her lover's whole body tensed and clamped down around her shaft.

"Nnnnnnhhh you feel so damn good… _Mmmmhh!_ I want you to come for me, Asami..."

Why did she have to like feeling a thick shaft sliding through her rectal muscles, deep into the warmth beyond? Korra wasn't even bothering to go slow or be careful anymore, simply driving it hard into her over and over. And she didn't hate it, didn't want it to stop the way she had expected she would eventually when they first started doing this. It made everything else more sensitive — the fondling of her breast, the taunting of her clit. She really was going to climax this way if it kept up, and she was going to do so very, very vocally.

"I can tell you're close," Korra teased, nibbling gently at Asami's ear as she continued fucking her and teasing her clit. Her fingers stroked more firmly over her sensitive nub, grip tightening ever so slightly over her nipple. "Come on..." she groaned, now rolling the swollen clit between her fingers. "Come for me, Asami… I wanna hear you scream!"

Even the ear-nibbling made it worse. Since when were they so sensitive? "HHnnaAH! Korra, my- AHhhhnn, Spirits help me!" Both of her legs shot out to the sides as she felt Korra ramming her harder than ever, her clit being almost pinched between rough digits. How badly she wanted to finish! She'd never been this close and never wanted it more, and all from being pounded in a place she had not imagined using for anything this insane. Her own hand raised to clutch at the breast Korra had left untended, needing to hold onto something — and felt the climax swell to fill her, just beneath the surface. Another minute more...

"Fuck me!" she heard herself screaming, tears pricking her eyes as she realised she had lost all reason, all reservation. "Do it, fuck my ass harder! Make me come!"

Korra was happy to oblige. With a low groan she began pounding mercilessly against Asami, holding tight to her hip to brace her and pull her back into each thrust. Meanwhile her other hand rubbed furious circles over her throbbing clit. Korra was close too, and every thrust into her warm, tight ass brought her closer to release.

"YES! Oh yeah, Korra, it's- I'm gonna- I'm gonna- _NNNYAAAAAAAAAAAHHH!"_

It was all over, but the ending of their activities seemed to stretch on for minutes still. Korra had brought her to a blinding finish several times before, but what fascinated Asami this time was the way her sphincter clenched so tightly around the length inside of her that she almost felt a panic that it would shred her own muscles to pieces. But they didn't — they only throbbed in sheer delight as the thrusting continued, as her clit exploded in joy and her heart pounded in her chest, head thrown back against Korra's shoulder as she screamed her name over and over and over again.

Korra growled low in her chest as she relished the sound of Asami's shrill cry, the sweet sound of her own name shouted in ecstasy. The throbbing tightness of her lover's body sent tidal waves down the length of her shaft, and with these together it was impossible for Korra not to finish as well. Her keening moan mingled with Asami's and echoed in harmony around the marble bathroom.

Korra didn't stop rubbing Asami's sensitive bud and thrusting inside her until they both had finished. Then, when her lover grew weak and breathless, the Avatar released her Bending hold on the phallus, and all the water fell back into the tub. She lifted Asami into her arms and sat on the edge of the tub, peppering her cheeks and neck with soft kisses.

Now, Asami felt drained all over again. The bath had been intended to revitalise her, to bring about relaxation. Instead, her body had been put through its paces in a way she had never expected it would. She couldn't say she regretted it, unexpected as it was, but she would be looking forward to a few more minutes in the tub now — most certainly.

Bending during sex. Was that common? What if there were lesbians all over the world that used it in this fashion? Korra's soft kisses could only remind her that she was with a woman, but she still had been taken like a man. That was quite an interesting turn. She only regretted that she was a non-Bender herself, and therefore could not return the favour. Not without...

Asami suddenly knew what she would be doing the following day, once their other business had been concluded. There had to be shops on the seedier side of Republic City that would carry such merchandise. That bore some further investigation.

"Wowwww…" Korra whispered against Asami's wet skin. "I _reeaally_ needed that. Damn, Asami, you turn me on like nothing else…"

Of course, since they were in the tub, it made sense to use it for its purpose. Korra pressed the jeweled pump to dispense the soap, and began working it gently into her lover's hair. "You don't mind if I wash you up, do you?"

"By... all means..." Taking in a deep, slow breath and letting it out, Asami had to smile as she was pampered by her lover. "You really got into that. Did it feel different to you? I mean, it definitely did to me!"

"Yeah," Korra said with a chuckle as the worked the soap deeper into those thick, raven tresses. "Really different. You know, I… I actually like it better than being a guy?"

Snorting softly, Asami arched her back, allowing Korra to do her work. Her body had been tortured, and was now being cherished. It was a nice counterpoint — even if, deep down, she had enjoyed the torture, as well. "I'd have to agree. Of course, it was also clear that when you had the real one, you weren't yourself. Maybe that's part of it; this was definitely you. I could..."

Her voice petered out. Maybe that was a silly thing to say. After all, she was a non-Bender. What did she know? But Korra's face fell with concern when Asami's voice tapered off. "What? You couldn't what?"

"Well..." Swallowing, Asami tried to shrug as if it was nothing important. "I almost thought I could feel your spirit. Through the Bending. Maybe because you were Bending something that was inside my body. But I don't really have any frame of reference."

"Really?" Korra replied softly, moving her fingers more slowly through Asami's hair as she thought on her words. "That… that sounds amazing. I mean, I've always felt connected to you when we make love. But… something inside you? I don't know if Bending works like that."

"Right, I've always felt a connection, of course," she whispered thoughtfully. "Our hearts were in synch... love and all that. But this was another kind of energy. Something more than the last times." Almost sounding scared of the answer, she asked, "Did... you feel anything like what I felt?"

"I…I don't know," said Korra, growing more and more nervous. She had been more wrapped up in her own pleasure than in Asami's spiritual energy, truth be told, and she hadn't felt anything that struck her as peculiar. "Can you describe it or be any more specific?"

Again, she fell silent for a few more seconds as Korra's hands smoothed through her hair. "Like... a warmth pooling below my stomach. Warmth that resonated with the Bending that was in my- well. You know." Her cheeks grew just the tiniest bit more pink again. "But I r-really could swear that it was part of my spirit calling out to yours."

"Huh…" Korra curiously placed her hand over the lower half of Asami's belly and stroked the soft skin with her thumb. She closed her eyes and tried to clear her mind, as though she was meditating. At first she felt nothing… just the usual soft thrum of another person's chi running through their body. But then her hand drifted an inch or so lower, and she felt a tiny flutter, as well as a small energy the likes of which she'd never felt before.

"Shit!" she exclaimed and jerked her hand away in surprise, uncharacteristically frightened. "What the— can you feel that?" She grabbed Asami's hand and pressed it flat against the skin where hers had been.

A few seconds passed as Asami held her breath, waiting, hoping. Nothing. She felt Korra's hand, and the warmth it brought, but no sensation like the one she had felt before. "I'm not... I don't think so."

Korra released a tense sigh, but she wasn't reassured. She had definitely felt something beneath her fingers, and for a moment, the impossible occurred to her… and try as she might, she couldn't shake the terrifying thought from her head.

"Just wait," the Avatar whispered. She closed her eyes, folding both her hands over Asami's, and tried to hone in on the tiny energy she'd felt before. Perhaps she could get it to…

"There!" Korra gasped as she felt the unmistakable movement of energy beneath her hands. "You _had_ to feel that!"

That time, Asami felt what could only be described as a tiny spark shooting through her — as if up from within herself and directly into Korra's hands. Responding to her aura. A small gasp fell from her lips, and she blinked up into Korra's eyes.

"What do you think happened? Am I... is it because we're so close, or am I just receptive to your Avatar power?"

"Th-that isn't your energy," Korra stammered, backing away slowly as though her hands had been burned. "I…it's…something else's." The realization was sweeping over her with sheer horror. "Asami, what if… you… I- I think you're pregnant!"

"What if- Korra, be serious. Of course I'm not. Something could be wrong with me!" But even so, Asami couldn't quite shake the notion. Pregnant? After only one session together when Korra was in possession of a real male organ? That seemed so preposterous... but then again, it was biologically possible.

That much was true, though; something could be very, very wrong. Even if Korra had gotten her pregnant while possessed by the Spirit, it shouldn't be evident so quickly. What if something terrible was inside her, something as bad as the Spirit that possessed Korra, or worse?

After a moment of shocked silence, Korra said, "I think you should see a healer, Asami…"

Gulping, she sank further down into the water and sighed. "Probably so. If they can't help, we may need to visit Katara. I don't want to take any chances."

Yet a warm glow was welling up into her cheeks. _Pregnant._ What would she do if she truly had become "with child" by Korra's unnaturally-occurring cock? How would they even go about explaining that to people? It boggled the mind. However, if it was true...

"Our child," Asami whispered so softly that it was almost just a gust of wind.

Korra's mind was also spinning. "Our child"? She didn't _want_ a child! She wasn't ready to be a mother — much less a father! "W-We don't know for sure you're pregnant!" All of a sudden, she didn't want to be right. A note of panic was creeping into her voice. "You'll have to see the healer before we can be sure!"

"Yes, yes of course." Asami shared Korra's nervousness, but she also loved that the possibility — even if it was as far-fetched as this — was there now. She had completely written off the option of becoming a mother when she realised her feelings for Korra ran deeper than mere friendship. Now, all of that was coming back into question.

Korra's brow furrowed as she tried to read the nervous, perplexed smile on Asami's face. "How are you not freaking out about this?!"

"Because it's just so... surreal." Chuckling weakly, she turned and pressed herself against Korra's body, sighing. "And we don't even know that I am, or that it's possible to happen through the Spirits. But if it is… that baby would be a complete miracle."

A miracle? How could this be a miracle? It seemed more like a curse to Korra. She stared at the wall, dumbfounded, as Asami curled against her body, absently draping an arm around her shoulder. The Avatar was terrified, more than she'd ever been before. Amon, Zaheer, Kuvira, and Unalaq all together weren't as frightening as the prospect of being responsible for a child.

_~ To Be Continued ~_


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> CHAPTER WARNINGS: pregnancy, adult shop, adult toys, public intoxication.
> 
> NOTE: God, a whole month... sorry about that, I truly am. Working on getting some new stuff ready to go! For those of you wondering, there are roughly... 4 more chapters left to go with this fic. I'm going to do my damndest to get them up faster than I have the last couple, I promise. Even though there's no smut this chapter, I hope you enjoy!

The next day's events were largely overshadowed by the looming notion that Asami may or may not have been knocked up by Spiritually-generated semen. They both avoided talking about it as they went to bed and throughout the following morning. Varrick sensed nothing, but Zhu Li was watching them especially carefully as they picked up their findings.

It was as they feared: mercury interlaced with the explosives. There were also minimal amounts of actual Spirit vines, but it was unclear if those were there beforehand or just mixed in when the vines were destroyed. Either way, Chief Beifong was not pleased, but was at least able to use the information to help seek out the cause of the unfortunate disturbance.

"Now, you promise you won't give the healer any trouble?" Asami shot at her as they climbed out of the car. "I know you're feeling a bit hesitant, but she's just doing her job."

"I promise I won't interfere," Korra replied a little defensively. "I've got enough on my mind, I don't wanna fight with some old Water Tribe lady."

Most healers in Republic City were trained in the Northern Waterbending technique of chi-healing; the healer they ended up seeing seemed to be multi-ethnic. She had somewhat pale skin, so pale as to almost seem Fire Nation, but her blue eyes gave away some Water Tribe descent. She was also younger than Korra expected, probably no older than Pema. Perhaps Korra's notion of healers was too closely tied to Katara…

The smiling healer led them into a small room, which was dominated by a shallow pool of warm water at its center. Korra took a set on a cushion at the edge of the room. "So," said the healer, turning to Asami. "What seems to be the trouble? You don't behave as though you're unwell."

"It's not so much that I'm unwell," Asami began, taking off her jacket and laying it across a chair. As she made to untie her boots, she continued, "There''s an odd... disturbance in my chi. We were wondering if you could perhaps shed some light on the situation."

The healer gave an understanding nod. "There are many ailments that may cause a disturbance in one's chi. If there is something wrong, I will find it." She gestured to the pool of water. "Please lay down and try to relax."

Asami had known they would be doing this later on, and prepared accordingly. Slipping out of her boots and outer garments, a dark blue swimsuit was revealed underneath. Korra was holding a small bag with underwear to don afterward. Gingerly, she stepped into the water and reclined until she was lying back, then began to float gently upon the surface, allowing her eyes to close.

Korra leaned back against the wall and blushed a little, looking nervously at the healer. This situation was so strange and so inherently awkward, simply because of one possible outcome…

The healer waited until her patient was lying comfortably in the warm water. Then she raised her arms and began to Bend the water around Asami's body, back and forth in a steady rhythm, as she felt out the flow of chi in her body. After a few moments of this, the healer smiled knowingly.

"Ah, yes. This is a very common condition, and the change in your body's chi is expected." She let go of the water and folded her hands in her lap. "You are with child. The energy is unmistakable."

Both of Asami's eyes flew open. It was true. Against all the odds, a baby was growing inside of her. If the healer had taken any longer to state her diagnosis than that, she would have doubted her and sought a second opinion. But there was zero hesitation. Korra had fathered a child inside of her, and that was that.

The healer smiled knowingly once more, nodding with sympathetic understanding. "This is unexpected?" she asked gently as she raised her hands to move the water once again, concentrating the movement of the healing water around Asami's middle. "The child was conceived perhaps… seven or eight weeks ago. Its energy is healthy and strong."

As the healer spoke, Korra was internally panicking. On the outside, she was completely frozen, her back pressed against the wall and arms hugging her knees to her chest. Why wasn't Asami saying anything? Why wasn't she freaking out?!

"Seven... seven or eight weeks?" Asami at last asked in a strained voice, fighting the reflex to sit bolt upright, disturbing the water and thereby the healer's process. "Are you sure of that, ma'am? Not that I'm trying to say you don't know what you're doing, it just... that timetable would be very, very odd."

The healer remained very calm. "No offense taken, ma'am," she replied respectfully. "I will check again." She continued moving the water around and around in the center of the pool for a tense, silent moment. Then… "I am quite certain this is correct."

Korra fought the urge to cry or shout or slam her fist into the wall. Instead she bit her lip and buried her face in her knees.

"Am I... is that the end of your examination?" Asami asked, though she was already sitting up. "If it is..."

"I am finished," replied the healer, bowing her head slightly before standing to leave the room.

As the healer exited, Korra approached Asami and helped her to her feet, silent and dumbfounded. She knew for a fact that Asami had been a virgin when they walked into the Spirit World; she had seen and felt that for herself. She knew this child had to be hers… or that horrible Spirit's.

"I-I don't know what to say…" Korra said sheepishly as she handed her lover a small towel. "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean for this to happen."

"I would never say you did," she whispered back. Her steps were unsteady, but she didn't fall over as she picked up the towel that had been left for her and began to blot at her body. "Is... can this really be true? You and I will have a baby of our own, even though we're both women? It seems like a dream..."

Korra's hands shot out to help Asami steady herself, but her lover's words made her face fall. Could Asami be serious? "I-I-I'm…not sure you're thinking this through. Asami, this isn't normal or natural. We have no idea what this thing is! Think of what… what made it."

Asami blinked at Korra, surprised into dropping the towel. "What made it? But... but _we_ made it. That spirit may have changed your body, but it changed your body into a man's for that moment. It was you, I could feel your skin, smell your sweat. That was no ghostly appendage that was glued onto you: it was a real one. So... so maybe it's a little unusual, but we can't just assume that it's going to be an evil spirit creation, or whatever it is you're thinking!"

"I'm thinking maybe you shouldn't keep this!" Korra blurted without pausing to consider her words. "I mean… we can't just assume it'll be a regular baby, either! Anything could happen. I don't know if you feel ready for this, but—but I don't! And I don't want to lose you!"

"Korra..." Her face had fallen at the last sentence, even though it was beginning to bristle with anger beforehand. "I understand your worry, but we'll hire a midwife — a seasoned healer who can spot any irregularities in the pregnancy. She'll keep an eye on me, don't worry."

"I can't believe you want to go through with this!" Korra cried in dismay, throwing her hands in the air as though at a loss. "Eight _weeks,_ she said! At this rate you'll be ready to pop in like… a month! How are you gonna explain that to a midwife?"

Raising both eyebrows, Asami merely shrugged and stated, "There's a portal to a previously-unknown dimension in the middle of town. I don't think much will surprise the people of Republic City these days."

"WE surprise them, Asami!" Korra all but shouted. "The 'people of Republic City' don't want us here, so what makes you think they'd be willing to accept… this?!"

"Yes, that's true," Asami sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. "But... that doesn't mean we're going to give up on each other. Just like I'm not going to give up on this child. If it proves itself to be no more than a malevolent spirit, we will deal with it accordingly."

"But what about _you?!"_ cried Korra, her eyes welling with tears. "What if it hurts you? I can't just sit back and wait for it t-to… to…"

The Avatar found herself unable to continue, and at a loss for any more words. She was terrified that she wasn't ready to be a parent; she didn't WANT to be a parent! And above all things she was terrified that something horrible would happen to Asami before the 'child' was even born. "I- I can't—" Korra stammered through welling tears. "I'm sorry…"

Face taut with worry, Asami reached out and placed her hand on her lover's shoulder. "Korra, I-"

As soon as Asami's hand touched her shoulder, Korra pulled away. She felt guilty and inadequate and helpless. "I can't do this!" she sobbed. "I- I need to be alone!" Then the Avatar turned on her heel and practically ran out of the building.

"Wait! Korra?! KORRA, DON'T-"

But the door to the healing room was already slamming shut. Asami stood there staring at it for a long few minutes, goggling at the wood and wondering how this all could have happened. Then she forced herself to begin changing her clothes, even as her eyes pricked and threatened tears. She was apparently going to become a single parent, if Korra's reaction was any indication.

~ o ~

Korra just ran. She didn't know where she was going, until she was already there; but when she finally stopped in the middle of the road to catch her breath, she found herself in the Little Pole, a neighborhood known for being populated mostly by Water Tribe immigrants.

Eyes still pricking with tears, she trudged into the Water Tribe restaurant she and Bolin frequented together, and took a seat at the bar. She flagged down the barkeep and said hoarsely, "Triple order of seaweed noodles, and...a drink. Something strong. Surprise me."

The bartender gave her an odd look, but Korra didn't care. She had troubles and sorrows to drown. She wasn't ready to be a parent. She couldn't believe she'd been so stupid! This was all her fault! And now Asami probably hated her for running away like a scared little kid, but… what was she supposed to do or say?

~ o ~

It was an incredibly lonely drive back to Sato Manor by herself. One that could not be completed; Asami was too restless. How was she supposed to go about her day as usual when she had a Spirit-influenced baby growing inside of her? When Korra was who knew where, doing who knew what? She was worried about both of them — or all three of them, rather. Her mind felt like it was going to fall apart from trying to contain all the varying and weighty thoughts.

A melon cart caught her eye, and she eased the car to the roadside. After a few seconds spent trying to control her breathing, she exited and perused the selection. The vendor was happy to sell her a small box of assorted cuts, which she began nibbling as she walked along the street. At another, she stopped to have a steaming cup of tea, wishing she were sharing it with Iroh. He would know what to say, know how to advise her. On her own, she had no ideas.

Then another sign caught her eye — mostly because it was glowing red all the way down an alley. Following it, she saw it had a flashing pair of lips on it, and the legend proclaimed: "Biph's Bawdy Boutique." It was an adult store.

At first, she wanted to simply turn around and leave. She was far from in the mood to even entertain the notion of buying anything for sex. Of having sex. After all, those pursuits were what landed her and Korra in this position to begin with. But she had only turned and taken a few steps back toward the entrance of the alley when she looked across the street, only to spot-

President Raiko. Of all the people who might be along that exact street when she was coming from the general direction of a store selling things like _that!_ It froze her in place. There was no question what he would think of her, seeing that sign above her head. When he turned in her general direction, she panicked and descended the steps into the store.

Biph, the shopkeeper and proud owner of the small establishment, was standing behind the shop's counter. He was a small, flamboyant man with loud clothes and even louder hair. When the tall, dark-haired, clean-cut looking woman stepped into the store, he started slightly for a moment, then jumped to attention and grinned.

"Well _hello,_ little lady!" he gushed in a high-pitched voice. "Welcome, welcome! Haven't seen you around here before!" He gestured to the shop around them, which was decorated in all manner of flashing lights and fluffy heart-shaped cut-outs. "Feel free to take a gander! We sell only the best in quality!"

"So is- are you Biph?" Asami asked, slightly surprised. "I thought that was a woman's name." However, she was partly distracted by all the frilly, lacey clothing on the mannequins. There were also a few other implements hanging on the wall that were completely alien to her. Did people really purchase such items without feeling like utter filth?

"Ohhhh, sweetheart!" Biph gave an effeminate laugh. "Man's name, woman's name… what's in a name? We don't often deal in names here, anyway." He gave a flourishing swoop with his hand, gesturing back towards the shop's wares. "What can I help you find today, sweetheart? Anything in particular?"

"U-um..." Truth be told, she hadn't even intended to enter the shop at all. However, as long as she was here... "W-well, I don't suppose you'd have any items that could help a woman who's, um..."

Then her voice trailed off. Could she really trust a random store owner with her relationship details? After all, the people at the Fire Pit had been so awful to them. On the other hand, obviously this man was in no position to judge.

"A woman who's with another woman," she whispered finally.

Biph had leaned forward playfully as the young woman hesitated, then leaned back and opened his arms wide. "Of cooouurse I do!" he replied enthusiastically, rounding the counter to join her. "You're in the right place, honey, no need to be nervous. We help everybody here, no matter who they are or who they're with!" He gave her a soft pat on the shoulder and began leading her down one of the small aisles. "Are you looking for something small? Or a little more… _manly?"_

"W-well!" Laughing nervously, and perhaps too loud, she tried not to look at the items on the shelves — even though that was the point in going down the aisle. Partly, she was in disbelief that she was not the first customer to ask for such a thing. "Can't say I've ever looked for anything before, so... I mean, what do you recommend?"

"You're new to this, huh? Well, no problem, we'll see what we can do! Alrighty… for the ladies who love the ladies, I love to recommend this!" He pointed to leather harness that looked a lot like underwear.

"Hmmh," Asami muttered as Biph lifted the harness off its display rack and took it over to one of the mannequins. The interest in design and function was somewhat obscuring her nervousness over the subject matter. "Well, I can tell where it goes… but what purpose does it serve, how does it work?"

"Hang on, sweetheart. Let me grab one of our demonstration models!" He ran over to the counter, fetched something from behind it, and returned... with what turned out to be a large false phallus made of oiled leather. "There! You take one of these beauties…" He brandished the fake cock with a flourish. "And you strap it into here!" Then he slid it into the harness, and began buckling it onto the mannequin.

"OH!" she burst out, then caught herself and laughed self-consciously again. "Okay, that's… quite a bit clearer now!"

Stepping forward to examine the mannequin, she looked at it from every angle. This most certainly did seem to be a solution. The cock was slightly larger than the watery one from the night previous, but smaller than the flesh-and-blood one from Spirit World. There was some sort of widened, flat base holding it into the harness, and she presumed that once all the buckles were secure, it would shift as little as possible. Her hand fell to it before she realised that might be presumptuous.

"Sorry, do you mind if I get a feel for it?"

"Of course not, sweetie!" Biph replied with another laugh. "You get a feel for it as much as you like! After all, we don't do returns once you've taken the product out of store. You understand, of course."

It only took a brief thought as to where the implement would be going to make Asami understand completely. "Yes, of course; you wouldn't want to be handling… right." Sliding her hand up and down it, she found that it didn't quite have the same surface feeling as either of the two she had been in contact with before, but it was still nothing unfortunate or displeasing. Then she gave it a gentle squeeze; only the slightest amount of give. It felt quite sturdy, to be sure.

"Hmm. Out of curiosity, what- I mean, do you have other sizes? Of the, uh, _tool,_ I meant. The harness seems to be adjustable."

"Oh, certainly!" said Biph, gesturing towards the next aisle, which seemed to be filled almost exclusively with similar devices. "We have almost any size you can envision, from the minuscule to… _equestrian!_ And we carry them all in leather, lacquered wood, ceramic, and glass."

For the first time, a true smile crossed Asami's lips that day. "Glass? Can that be safe?" But she was already walking down the aisle, following the gestures with her eyes.

"Of course!," replied Biph. "They're solid and quite sturdy, blown in the hottest fire that Benders can Bend! Buuuut, if you're looking for something with a little more give, the leather is really quite popular."

"This one..." She had picked up a ceramic one that was only a few inches long, with a bulge in the middle. "I can't imagine what use that would be for."

Biph giggled like a schoolgirl. "Oh, aren't you just the sweetest thing! That, sweetheart, is designed to go in the backdoor." He gave her a lewd wink. "That part there is so it won't, well… fall out."

Nodding to herself, Asami turned it over in her hand a few times. The proprietor had likely been thinking she would recoil in horror — but she didn't know what they had done less than twenty-four hours ago. "Doesn't look like it would go terribly deep in there." Then she set it aside and picked one up that did go a bit deeper, but was roughly the same thickness. "Ah, there we are. Do you have one like this in glass?"

Biph's eyes widened in disbelief, but he barked with laugher and gave and dainty clap. "Oh, my goodness, I just love you already! We certainly do." He located the requested item quickly on the shelf and placed it in his customer's hand. "We're of a like mind, you and I. Is there anything else I can get you today? I know I saw you eyeing that strap-on dildo, young lady…"

"Oh, that I definitely need — the strap, and the leather one in the strap. Perhaps, um… this ceramic one, as well." It was about an inch shorter and very slightly thinner than the one hanging in the strap; it seemed to be wise to have one that wasn't quite so "challenging", to put it delicately. "With the… 'backdoor tool', um, how much does it total?"

Biped honestly hadn't been expecting to make a sale with someone who looked as Asami did, but he was more than happy that he'd been proven wrong. She turned out to be quite the spender! Gathering up all the items, he took them to the counter and tallied up the total with a pencil. "Let's see… all together, we've got… ninety-three yuans."

Pursing her lips, Asami weighed that. It was a lot of money to drop at once, but she had no frame of reference for how much these things normally ran. Clearing her throat, she asked, "Will I be needing anything else, or does this complete the sale? I might have to put some of this back for the time being, if so."

"This is all you'll need, for the… activities they're recommended for," Biph replied. "I know it seems like quite a lot, but keep in mind, these are all handcrafted. They'll last you for years if you keep them clean."

"Good, good. Years sounds good." As she withdrew her coin purse, she added, "And I assume that if they… break under normal use within the first month, you wouldn't mind at least trying to fix them, if not replace them?"

Biph smiled as he counted out the money his customer laid on the counter, discreetly eyeing the insignia on her coin purse. "Didn't I mention we offer a one-year replacement warranty on all our products?" He winked. "This is a business of repute… Miss Sato."

"Well, that's quite a- _huh?!"_

Suddenly dropping his voice, Biph leaned forward against the counter and whispered through a grin, "Word along the grapevine says you and the Avatar are an item, huh? Now that's a smart match, in my humble opinion."

Flushing scarlet, Asami had to fight the urge to run screaming from the room — with or without her discreet black bag of purchases. "You, um, recognised me, eh? Now I feel perfectly foolish."

"Most folks recognize you, I suppose, what with you and the Avatar and those two Pro-Benders being in the papers all the time," Biph continued a little more conversationally. The man truly didn't seem to care.

Returning the smile very cautiously, she gathered up the bag and turned to leave, but then stopped and asked, "You… think she and I are a good fit?"

"Of course, the two of you just make sense! Two gorgeous, empowered young ladies in the public eye… _oooh,_ it's just the perfect little love story!" He gave a little flick of his wrist and giggled excitedly. "And it's about time somebody in the limelight started being open about their feelings! Things would change around here, you know, if more folks just talked about being a little different."

Oddly enough, his uncomplicated little speech cut straight into Asami's gut. It had felt like everyone was oppressing her and Korra for being together and not acting "ashamed" enough, or trying to hide it, but she'd never once thought about how other women who love women had it. Or men who love men, for that matter. This was beyond just two people.

"I'll keep that in mind," she told him earnestly. "And thank you so much; I'll try and come back in sometime and tell you the results."

Biph's eyes lit up at the very thought of hearing about the Avatar's sex life with Asami Sato. "Oh, please do, sweetheart! You're always welcome at Biph's! And your sweet, dark little hunk of an Avatar is welcome here, too." He grinned wolfishly and winked. "You two have fun, eh?"

That last comment seemed to be implying something she could scarcely believe. Did he want them _both_ to drop in for future shopping, or something more? Trying to put the second possibility aside, she thanked the unusual man and made her way back to the street. Once she was certain the coast was clear, she stole over to her car and drove off.

~ o ~

Back at the manor, a few hours passed. Asami did her best to focus on her paperwork, to put both the shopping trip and the life growing inside of her to the wayside, but it kept sneaking in. Eventually, she gave up and began wandering around the garden for a while, poking at all the flowers and generally avoiding responsibility.

This didn't last forever, as became apparent when Asami's butler approached her in the garden, a little perplexed as to why the Avatar had not returned with her. It looked and sounded as though the two of them were joined at the hip now. Still, it was not his place to ask. But eventually, a call had come through that required him to disturb his employer.

"Please excuse me, Miss Sato," the butler said respectfully. "But there is a phone call for you. Chief Lin Beifong wishes to speak with both you and the Avatar."

"Well, Korra is... out at the moment," Asami informed him as she straightened, rubbing her face. Of course, she was unsure as to where Korra was, but there was no sense spreading her worries to the staff. "Where may I take the call, in my office?"

The butler raised an eyebrow, but said nothing out of line. "Yes, Miss Sato," he confirmed. "The phone is waiting in your office. It sounded rather urgent, if I may say so..."

"Of course. Thank you."

Once in her office, she made sure to pick up the receiver before she even edged the door closed. "Hello? Yes, this is Asami Sato!"

"This is Lin Beifong," the chief's voice came quickly over the phone. She sounded even more tense than usual. "I followed up on the lead from that mercury, and the results were… alarming. I want to speak with you and Avatar Korra as soon as possible."

"Oh! Yes, I'm sorry — Korra's not here at the moment, but I'll tell her the instant she gets back. Shall we meet you down at the station?"

Lin was quiet for a brief moment. Then she said, "Well find her and come down to the station as soon as possible. I'm afraid it can't wait."

Then the line clicked; she'd hung up. Asami eased the receiver back onto the cradle. It couldn't wait? This really did sound urgent, after all. She began to feel mildly guilty about their fight earlier, even though she knew she wasn't the only one to blame for it.

Pressing her fingertips against her lips, she tried to think of some way she might get in contact with Korra on the spur of the moment. Her only thought was that she might call Jinora and ask her to astral project, but that seemed like too much of an ordeal. Where could she be?

Another possibility came to her: Mako. It wasn't guaranteed that she'd be there, but he was one of her closest friends in the city. It was worth a try. Snatching up the receiver again, she dialed hastily.

Mako had been ironing his shirts, trying to drown out the noise of Bolin watching "Nuktuk" for the millionth time, when the phone rang. He picked it up and held it absent-mindedly between his cheek and shoulder. "Hello?"

"Hey, Mako, it's me. Have you seen Korra at all today?"

Mako was more than a little surprised that Asami called him. "Um… no. Why? Don't tell me she's gone missing or something."

"Not really _missing,_ " Asami hedged, feeling nervous. It shouldn't be this hard to talk to him; she and Korra had both moved on from those days. However, it was a little different now that the two of them were together. Also, given their recent discovery, the topic was even more sensitive than before. "I just needed to talk to her earlier than I expected."

"Hey, who's on the phone?" Bolin called from the other room over the sound of his own mover.

"It's Asami!" Mako shouted back, covering the receiver. Putting the iron down on the ironing board, he held the phone properly and continued, "What do you mean, earlier than you expected? Asami, what's the matter?"

"There's... something happening," she hedged. Was it alright to discuss the case with outside parties? After all, Mako did work for the force. "Ask Chief Beifong if you want to know more — anyway, I just expected to see Korra later tonight, but now I need to speak with her immediately."

"Did she say 'hi' to me?!" Bolin demanded. "Tell her I say 'hi'! No, wait — tell her I said 'hey, what's cooking?' No wait, that's stupid- tell her-"

"Shut _up,_ Bolin!" Mako hissed. "Wait a minute… what should I ask Chief Beifong? Does this have something to do with the bombing?"

Squirming, Asami hissed, "I might have said too much — I don't know for sure that I can divulge any more. Seriously, I just really, _really_ need to talk to her."

Now Mako was very worried. "So it _is_ about the bombing… Listen, is there anything we can do to help you find Korra?"

"Dude, did she ask about me?" Bolin was still asking from the next room.

"Yes. If you haven't seen her and can think of anywhere she might be around this time of night, drop by there and ask her to give me a call. I'll stay at the Sato manor for now; it's not like she's been gone very long."

Mako closed his eyes and tried to block out his brother's nagging. "Okay," he said. "Bolin and I will split up and look for her. Yeah, stay at the mansion, in case she comes back, and if she does, give us a call, okay?"

After hanging up the phone, Mako walked into the other room and turned off Bolin's mover-box. "Listen up, Bolin. Korra's missing. Have you seen her at all today?"

"Nope," he said, sitting up a little straighter and putting down the bag of pork rinds he'd been slowly making disappear. "Wait, she's missing? How can a whole Korra be missing? She's a pretty decent size, ya know!"

Mako rolled his eyes. "Look, I think this is serious! Asami sounds like she's kind of freaking out, and apparently Chief Beifong wants to talk to them both. I'm not sure what's going on but it's very important that we find Korra."

Frowning, Bolin wiped his hands on his shirt as he stood up. "Okay, okay. Wow, didn't think we'd be getting our little Team Avatar back in action after bringing balance and all that. Where do we start?"

Mako sighed, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "I'm not sure. We may as well start with the places she likes to hang out. Why don't we start with Air Temple Island, and then we can split up? I'll take the West side of town, and you take the East side."

"Got it!" Bolin was halfway out the door before he turned back. "Should… I put on pants first?"

"YES, Bolin, you should put on pants first," growled Mako. "Ugh."

~ o ~

Korra didn't know how long she'd been sitting at that bar, knocking back shots and speaking to nobody. Time didn't exist once she reached a certain level of drunkenness. The bartender had cut her off about an hour ago, saying that drinking for ten hours straight was enough to kill anybody but the Avatar; but she remained, sniffling and wallowing in self-pity as she stirred a chopstick in her noodles.

When Bolin wandered in, sweating and waving his hand in front of his face, he actually had not been expecting to find Korra there; he simply needed a glass of juice to keep his energy up. Plopping in the seat next to her, he groaned.

"Oh, hey, Korra. Do me a favour — if you see Korra around, could you let her know we're looking for her?"

Korra barely looked up from her noodles. "Mmmmmph… go away, Bolin," she said between sniffles, her voice hoarse from crying. "I don't deserve friends."

"Hey," he breathed, slightly taken aback — both at figuring out she was next to him, and also at the state she was in. "Dude, what happened to you?"

" _I_ happened to me," Korra sobbed, dropping her chopsticks and covering her face with her hands. "I ruined everything. Everything! All of this is my fault. I'm the worst Avatar since… since any Avatar ever!"

Frowning, he eased one arm around her back, patting the far shoulder. "No way, Korra! Hey, you're the best Avatar I've ever known!"

"No, I'm not," Korra slurred, shaking her head and wiping her nose on the back of her hand. "I thought I was bringing balance to the world but I made it the most… not-balanced… it could ever be! And now there's bad people who wanna hurt the Spirits, and Asami's pregnant and it's all my fault!" Saying it all again made it sound even worse. She slumped forward, head making a loud _thunk_ on the wooden bar counter.

"Hey, heeey," Bolin soothed her, petting her hair. Of course, he wasn't incredibly comfortable doing this for the Avatar, but she was his friend and she needed to be comforted. "You can't always stop the craziness before it starts! So what if people want to hurt the Spirits? You'll nip that in the bud! And hey, so Asami's preh..."

Then he found himself blinking and standing up slightly. "PREGNANT?!"

"I know, it's crazy," Korra continued in a self-pitying but ridiculously-casual tone, voice muffled by the bar counter. "You know how we went on vacation in the Spirit World? Well there was this, this… bitchy spirit who possessed me and made me grow a dick…" Then she sat bolt upright. "A fucking _dick,_ Bolin! So what was I supposed to do, just sit there and look at it?"

Bolin's eyes were as wide as saucers. "What the hell are you talking about? That's, uh, not a thing that actually happens! You can't have a..." Slowly, his eyes slid down to Korra's lap. Did she?

"I know, right!?" Korra said with a dramatic nod. "But it was just there, and after I fucked her the Spirit left me and the dick was gone! It was… crazy, man, fucking crazy!" She rested her head on the counter again, holding it with her hands, as she was growing somewhat dizzy. "You wouldn't have believed it, I could barely believe it. It was… huge, man, ridiculous!"

"Ohhhh." Bolin relaxed visibly when he figured out that Korra wasn't actually sporting male equipment at the moment. He didn't know why, but the idea made him slightly uncomfortable. Maybe just the idea of having to think about what Korra had in her pants in general. "Well, hey, maybe it was just some kind of fever dream! I mean, the Spirits are always distorting reality over there, right? Didn't they get Jinora lost one time?"

"No, it was real, man," Korra said a little defensively, glowering at him from down on the counter. "Ask Asami, she'll tell you!" She paused. "No, don't do that, don't ask Asami. But I'm telling you, it happened! Uuuuugh… so Asami went to see the healer and the healer said that she's eight weeks along and it doesn't make any fucking sense and it's _mine,_ man, and what the hell do I do?"

"Wait, wait," Bolin sighed, shaking his head out. "First of all, you're kind of… smashed like it's New Year's Eve, okay? So are you sure — really super sure that this actually happened? A spirit turned you into Boy-atar and you got Asami pregnant?!"

"YES!" Korra replied agitatedly. "Haven't you been listening? That's what happened!" She buried her face in her hands again, trying to hide the tears welling back up in her eyes. "I'm sorry, man, I know it's crazy… I'm just… _so_ freaked out right now!"

For a long moment, Bolin just sat there, watching her cry and not knowing what to say. Yes, it was true that they had seen and done a lot during their travels, but this was just simply impossible. Spirits didn't normally possess people in the first place, and on top of that, he'd never heard of one possessing someone and causing an extra appendage to sprout from nowhere!

On the other hand, this was Korra. He trusted her. Maybe it would turn out later that she had just been so drunk she didn't know what she was saying, but for now, he had to take her word at face value.

"Okay, so… so you're gonna be a daddy, huh? Hey, that's, uh, pretty cool! I can be Uncle Bolin — I'll take the kid to meet all the other mover stars!"

Korra shook her head sharply. "I-I'm not ready to be a… a _daddy!"_ she sobbed. "Or a mom, or — or anything! I don't want a kid, Bolin, I… I can't do this." Rubbing her tired eyes with her knuckles she half-groaned, "What would you do, Bolin? If this happened to you and Opal, what would you do?"

"WOW," he burst out immediately, laughing nervously. "Me and Opal? That's- I mean, I don't know, I never..." But surprisingly, even to himself, he was able to answer pretty quickly. "Actually, I think I'd be cool with it. Maybe I'd have to… you know, come have a few drinks at the old watering hole here, but after that?" His smile turned a little warm, maybe even slightly embarrassed. "I think I might like to have a little tyke running around someday. If it happened sooner than I expected, I guess I'd just have to adjust, right?"

Korra's eyes widened. She sat up and looked at Bolin for a moment, at the semi-calm acceptance and his positive outlook on the whole situation, then turned to stare at her noodles in silence for a long moment.

"I… Bolin, I think I made a huge mistake," she whispered hoarsely.

"Yeah, I'll probably say that, too!" he chortled, slapping her on the back. "Don't most guys at some point?" Then he sat up straight. "Not that you're a guy! Anymore! I mean, you were never a guy! Sure, you could benchpress me pretty easily, but you're all woman, for sure! What I mean is-"

"I know what you mean," Korra cut him off. "But I mean… I really messed up with Asami." She lowered her head, her bottom lip trembling. "I… I got really mad and told Asami I didn't think she should keep it. I was just so scared! I mean, we don't know if it's really mine or the Spirit's, and it's gotten like two _months_ big in, like… one _week!_ But I shouldn't have said that, and… and I shouldn't have run off."

"Dude, you're a woman who _fathered_ some kind of Spirit baby! She's gonna understand! In fact, she's probably freaking out herself right… now." Then he gasped and covered his mouth with both hands. "Oh crap, I totally forgot!"

Korra's eyes widened in alarm. "What? WHAT?!" She grabbed her friend dramatically by the shoulders. "Dude, what did you forgot? W-wait…"

"Sorry! You were just so upset that it completely blocked it out of my mind!" Recovering himself, he gripped her shoulders back. They looked very intense to the rest of the clientele. "Asami's been looking for you, and wants to speak to you right away! For some reason!"

"Of course!" Korra exclaimed, shaking him slightly for no apparent reason. "Of course, because I ruined everything! Because I…" Her expression suddenly changed from realization to firm determination. She stood up a bit too quickly, wobbling slightly, and said, "I need to go to her. Now. I need to apologize, take back everything!"

"Okay, cool! I'll go with you!" When she looked hesitant, Bolin gave her an even look. "I know you're the Avatar, but right now you look like you could use somebody to lean on. Literally."

"I'm fine, man," Korra insisted, before taking one step forward and swaying dramatically. Between her drunkenness and sleep deprivation she was quite disabled. "I'm… uh, yeah, can I lean on you?"

Smiling in both bemusement and sympathy, he shrugged himself up and under Korra's arm and began helping her out onto the sidewalk.

~ o ~

"No, I haven't, Mako. Check in with me again if she's not in the park. And thanks again."

Asami began to pace back and forth in her study, hands in the small of her back. It had been nearly five hours since their appointment with the healer. How much later was Korra going to stay out? Was she really that upset?

She was. The look on her face when she found out she was at least partially responsible for creating new life was not the cheeriest. But what else could they do but to see the pregnancy through to the end? If they terminated it because they were merely afraid of the outcome without waiting to see what it might be, they really would be monsters. Worse than the mischievous Spirit they feared.

When they finally arrived at the Sato mansion, having staggered about a quarter of the way and taken a taxi for the rest, Korra was determined to walk in on her own. She'd grabbed a cup of some strong, dark tea to ground her senses, and though she wasn't exactly steady on her feet, she could walk on her own without falling, at least. She led the way through the front door, brushed off the alarmed butler with a small gesture, and went right upstairs.

She had a feeling Asami would be in her study, and she was correct. Her poor lover was pacing around the room, looking exhausted.

"Asami!" Korra cried, practically jumping over to her and falling down on both knees to hug her around the waist. "Asami, I'm sorry, I am so, so sorry…" She looked up at her with red eyes, tearstained cheeks, and the faint smell of alcohol barely concealed by strong tea on her breath. "I've been a fool! I've been such a jerk, I… can you ever forgive me?"

"Korra, what-" Then she raised one hand to cover her nose. "Wow, where have you been, and what have you been drinking?"

"Puki," Korra replied a bit absently. "It's a traditional Water Tribe liquor made from sea prunes, and they- no, that's not important now, listen! I was so, so wrong to say the things I said at the healer's! But I talked to him, and he taught me something, about… about being a man! You gotta — g-gotta own up!"

Eyes brimming with tears and voice trembling, Korra released Asami from her embrace and shrank back a little. "I-I- I love you, Asami…" she stammered with a remarkably small amount of slur in her voice. "And if you want to go through with this and… and have this baby, I… then I want to be here for you."

Smiling a little sadly down at the clearly-inebriated Avatar, Asami caressed her cheek and ran her fingers through her hair. All worries over what Beifong wanted with them would have to wait, it seemed. "Hey, now. I know you love me; I never thought otherwise. But I'm glad you're coming around." Then one eyebrow quirked downward. "Talked to him? Who?"

"Who? Oh— oh, Bolin!" Korra replied, blushing a little and fidgeting with her fingers. "He… um, he found me at a district in the Water Tribe restaurant… wait."

"Are you sure about that word order?" Asami giggled quietly. Then she hooked her hands underneath Korra's arms to attempt to pull her to her feet, but Korra wasn't steady enough. "So Bolin… helped you get home, did he?"

"Oh yeah," Korra replied, as though just remembering, while she tried to get back up onto her feet. "Ohhhhh man… I… I wanna lie down."

"Then that's what we shall do."

It took a little manouevring, but Asami was eventually able to bundle Korra back to their bedroom and tug her boots off. Trying to remove any more of her clothes proved such a chore that she gave up with her pants still halfway on.

"So," Asami asked as she put the boots away, "How is Bolin? Did you two have a good chat?"

"He's… he's good," Korra replied as she tugged her pants back on and flopped onto the bed face-first. "Yeah, good chat. Verrrrrry good chat…" She stretched and yawned. "Mmmmm… ya know, you forgave me pretty fast. Heheh. Is that because… cuz you wanted to talk to me?"

"No," she answered sarcastically. "Who wants to talk to their wife?" As she began to change into more comfortable clothing herself, she turned to look at Korra. "Of _course_ I want to talk to you. And… even though you did hurt my feelings before, I understand it wasn't on purpose. I've been too worried about you the past few hours to hold a grudge about one small argument."

"You've been worried about me?" Korra gushed happily, turning her head to watch Asami dress. "I… I've been worried too. I just… wow! You know, we've gotta start getting ready for an actual baby! Like… yesterday!"

Smiling to herself as she shimmied into a nightgown, Asami answered, "How about tomorrow instead of yesterday? You seem a little… beyond doing anything like that right now."

As she paced over to the bed, she observed the face-down Avatar, looking like the silly oaf she always had been. Magnificent, sometimes immature, but always a hundred per cent dedicated to those she loved and protecting the world. One of a kind. And one that she would never let go.

"And of course I worried about you. I always do. Nobody else in the world matters as much as you."

Korra smiled up at Asami in her silky nightgown and gave her a drunken, bashful grin. "I feel the same way! Nobody in the world matters as much as you." She reached out placed one hand against her lover's belly. It still felt flat as ever, and the Avatar was too drunk to concentrate on anyone's energy, but she remembered the feeling from before and her thumb stroked lightly against the silk.

"And now you too, I guess… baby. Our baby… wow."

Tears sprang to the corners of Asami's eyes — ones she hadn't even known she was holding back until they appeared. "Korra… do you mean that? Really mean it? Because you reacted so strongly, and I didn't have any change to process things, b-but if you really can- if you're willing to love this baby with me, th-then m-maybe..."

Korra paused for a moment before saying with determination, "Yes. I'm gonna do my best to be a good… a good father! Ha! It sounds so weird." She looked up at Asami and smiled gently. "I'm still really scared about… how the child was conceived, and… and how fast it seems to be getting bigger. But… you're right that we should give it a chance."

"Good, because… because I think I wanted this much more than I expected. It's something we couldn't have — weren't allowed, but this insane thing happened! And I know it wasn't quite ideal, magical and impossible and traumatic for me, I understand that, but..." The tears came faster as she pressed herself in against Korra's side. "But we can start a f-family!"

Korra draped a heavy arm over Asami as she settled in beside her, holding her close and kissing her forehead. "A family," she repeated softly. She had no idea what they would tell people, or how Republic City would handle them, or if they could be tolerated at all. She was still frightened. But she cradled her lover in her arms and reassured her with soft whispers and gentle kisses.

"Yes. A family."

_~ To Be Continued ~_


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> CHAPTER WARNINGS: homophobia, pregnancy, cunnilingus, blindfolds, strap-on sex, Bending sex.
> 
> NOTE: Again, sorry for delays; I'm really much better at writing rough drafts than editing/posting them at any point, haha. To that end... if anyone is in the Steven Universe fandom and would like to lend their editing talents to a finished fanfic, enabling it to be posted sooner rather than later, please let us know. Anyway, enjoy!

The next morning, despite Korra's terrible hangover, it was apparent that she needed to drag her ass out of bed. "I am never drinking puki again," she grumbled hoarsely as she trudged into the bathroom and immediately brushed her teeth three times. Then after a shower and about seven cups of strong tea she agreed to climb into Asami's car and go to the police station.

"Drive slow, okay?" Korra sighed, Bending a bit of tea from the cup in her hand and freezing it against her palm so she could ice her throbbing head.

Chuckling, Asami took the sunglasses from her face with her free hand and passed them over in Korra's direction. "Do you need these to keep the sunlight out?"

"No thanks," Korra replied, gently waving the glasses away. "I'd rather just close my eyes until we get there. Ohhhh man…I…I really mean it when I say I'm never gonna drink puki again…"

When they arrived at the police station, they had only to walk in the front door before an officer escorted them to see the chief. Apparently she'd been waiting for them with a watch on standby. When they entered her office, Chief Beifong stood up behind her desk. "Finally! It's about time. We've got a serious situation on our hands. I believe that…oh, my…Avatar, what the hell happened to you? You look terrible."

"Thanks, Chief," Korra grunted. "Now what's going on?"

Beifong raised an eyebrow, but she continued. "Very well. Then listen up. Almost all the mercury in the world comes from the Fire Nation, and so its purchase is easily traceable through port shipping records. For the past three weeks, an unknown person, or _persons_ operating under one alias, have been purchasing the daily legal limit of mercury in port. Someone in Republic City has a huge amount of mercury on their hands…much, much more than was in that bomb."

"So you're saying," Asami began slowly, "is that... there will be more bombings like those if we can't find the people responsible for this."

That was a dark possibility indeed. Bad enough for them to bomb one part of the city, to send a "message", whatever that message was supposed to be. But to already be planning more bombs? And when would they stop? Were they ever planning to?

"That is exactly what I'm saying," replied Beifong. "Now at the moment we have no idea who or where these terrorists might be. My undercover police are discreetly scanning the city for any unusual metallic signatures. Some technology from Future Industries could quickly expedite that search." She nodded towards Asami, asking for help in her own way.

"And Korra," she said, turning a little skeptically towards the worn-looking Avatar. "I know enough about Spirits to know that this kind of aggression is bound to upset them. I need to count on you to keep the people of Republic City safe from angry Spirits."

"In that case," Korra replied. "The first thing you should do is make the area around the Spirit Portal, and all areas with Spirit vines, off limits."

"Agreed," Asami put in. "It's unfortunate, but the park must be closed until further notice. It's up to you if you want to inform the public of the danger, or simply say it's for construction reasons. I was going to put forth a proposal for some new roadways that could serve as a ready excuse if you'd prefer to keep this under wraps for the time being."

"That's not a bad idea," Beifong admitted. "Very well. Get those construction plans underway as soon as possible. I'll speak to President Raiko and the city planning board to make sure there aren't any obstacles. Meanwhile, I'll have my officers close off those areas."

"Good start," Korra said with a nod. "Also, if you get any weird police reports or calls from the public that just…don't make sense, based on the rules of our world? Then you should give me a call, because it's probably Spirit stuff."

That did bring Asami out of her reverie. "You think the Spirits would do that? Possess people and make calls into the station?"

"Well, maybe," said Korra. "That wasn't really what I meant. Just that people might see or hear or do really…strange things." She shot Asami a glance before nodding firmly towards Beifong. "Just…be incredibly vigilant."

"Don't worry," Asami continued, "I'll coordinate with Reiko as soon as possible with construction. This will kill two birds with one stone — and hopefully no Spirits or civilians."

Korra nodded her agreement. In truth it tempting just to say "are we done here?" Her head was throbbing, her whole body ached and felt like jelly...all she wanted was to climb back into bed.

"Good," Lin continued. "Then that will be all. Remain vigilant, both of you; and Korra, do what you can to keep the peace among the Spirits."

"You got it, Chief," Korra replied with feigned enthusiasm as they stood and left the station.

"Oh boy," Asami sighed as they reached the car. She held the door open for Korra, knowing she would be in need of such consideration for the rest of the day. "Looks like we're in for more Avatar-level trouble, aren't we?"

"Since we weren't already," Korra grumbled, flopping down into the car and covering her face with her hands again. "Uuuugh...why can't people just...stop trying to ruin everything for a while?!"

Sighing, Asami rounded the car and got in, starting the engine before she answered. "You're right, it does seem like we hardly catch a break. And even though Republic City enjoyed a few months with no trouble, we didn't get that benefit. It's really unfortunate." Tilting her head slightly, she tried to catch Korra's eyes but they were still buried in hands. "Seriously, you can tap the Airbenders to handle this for a while if you're not up to it. No one would fault you after saving the world four or five times now."

Korra shook her head. "No, I can't...because they _would_ fault me for it. Don't you see? Only you and the people who know me really see me as an actual person, with limits...to everyone else, I'm just the Avatar. And the Avatar doesn't get to take breaks."

"Oh, Korra..." Asami took her hand off the gear shift and leaned over to embrace her lover. "You do have a responsibility to them, I understand. But you can't run yourself down until you croak. Just... do what you can, and let the rest of us take up the slack. Doctor Sato's orders."

Korra could help but crack a wry smile. "Doctor Sato, huh?" she replied. "Yeah, okay. I'll take it easy today at least. No problem there." She leaned back in her seat and sighed, wiping her eyes as Asami started up the car.

Once they had pulled onto the roadway, Asami cleared her throat and said, "In fact, while I was on my way home yesterday, I picked up some essential oils if you'd... like a massage? Might help work that hangover out of your system faster."

"That actually sounds really nice," Korra replied. Even through her hangover, she managed a wolfish grin. "I'm happy to lay around while you rub me."

"Oh, I know that pretty well," Asami laughed. "For the savior of the world, you're pretty lazy."

Korra snorted. "Lazy? Save the world four times and they call you lazy… that's gratitude for ya."

~ o ~

Back at the mansion, Korra headed right upstairs and into Asami's room, taking off her clothes and flopping onto the bed with a sigh and a groan. "My head wants to explode," she grumbled into the pillow.

Smirking, Asami set down the oils she had retrieved from the bag on the bedside table. "I highly doubt it actually will explode." Petting her shoulder, she asked, "How about I turn on the radio? There's a smooth razz station somewhere on the dial, I stumbled across it the other day. Might help you relax."

"Sounds good," Korra replied, voice muffled against the pillow. She heard the click of the radio, the sliding static of searching channels…and finally the soft, sultry tones of mellow razz. "Mmmmmmph… yeah, I like that. S'nice."

"I'm glad." Asami began to oil up her hands, then drizzled a bit onto the middle of Korra's back. "I just want you to think about nothing, nothing at all. I'm sure you're used to this kind of thing from Avatar training."

"I'm good at thinking of nothing," Korra replied, turning her head to the side and gazing lovingly at Asami as she began working the oil into her back. Spirits, it felt magnificent…and the smell even made her feel like her headache was waning! "Maaaannnnn that feels good," the Avatar sighed.

Humming quietly along with the music, Asami pressed her thumbs in harder along the spine, relishing the feeling of Korra's taut muscles. Yes, she was working to loosen them, but that didn't mean she wasn't allowed to enjoy the ride until the massage was over.

 _Pregnant._ The two of them were going to be three eventually. She still wasn't absolutely sure if the idea excited or terrified her; perhaps a bit of both. But she did know with absolute certainty that if there were anyone in the world she wanted to create new life with, it was the woman quietly moaning under her fingertips. She had no regrets.

Korra tensed and relaxed and twitched a little as Asami's thumbs worked firmly into the muscles of her back. She could lay like that forever, feeling her lover's hands on her back, listening to pretty music…

Then, suddenly, the music began to cut out. Then there was a moment of static, followed by a heavily-distorted voice.

" _Citizens of Republic City, listen well,"_ the voice droned dispassionately. _"Spirits and humans were never meant to live side by side. Enough is enough! This is why we attacked the apartment building near the Spirit Portal…and we intend to do more, until this plague of Spirits is eliminated. The blathering fool that you people call the Avatar is leading our world straight down the path to destruction. First, she opened the Portals, and now she publicly gallivants her unnatural love affair with the new head of Future Industries. I say to you, people of Republic City, the Avatar shall lead you to ruin! Join the Restorationists, and together will shall rid our world of the plague of Spirits!"_

Another burst of static, and the radio was back to its normal self, playing smooth razz over the soft noise of background interference. Korra sat bolt upright, completely taken aback.

"Did you hear that?!"

Asami's eyes were slits as they glared at the radio. "Oh, I heard it. I heard every last disgusting syllable." Both of her hands curled into fists, oil dripping down from them onto the bedsheets. "There probably isn't anyone in Republic City who missed that."

"It's like Amon all over again," Korra murmured in shock. "Oh, Spirits… Asami, I can't do this right now! RRRGH!"

For once, however, Asami wasn't able to be the voice of reason. She was too furious with them, too irate. But it was for a different reason than Korra was angry.

"Who... gave them the right to question my relationship with you? To make a public spectacle of it?!" Picking up one of the jars of oil, Asami threw it with deadly accuracy at the radio, knocking it onto its back. It continued to play, but with slightly more static on the airwaves than before. Chest heaving, she merely glared at it, unable to speak further.

Korra winced as the jar of oil shattered all over the table and knocked the radio over. She'd never seen Asami so angry. Pulling herself upright, the Avatar wrapped her arms around her lover and whispered, "Hey. It's gonna be okay. We're gonna be okay." She wished she could believe her own words, but she didn't know what else to say.

"They had no right!" Asami was growling into Korra's shoulder, shaking visibly. "Play their petty games with spirits, blow things up — that is wrong and ignorant, but we'll stop them like we always do! But this? This can't be fixed! Everyone knows now — and the first thing they heard publicly about it is someone calling us 'unnatural'! We might as well go fuck in the streets like dogs, it's the same thing, now!"

Korra realized with dismay that Asami was right, at least in part. Now everyone in Republic City would know about them…and most of them probably agreed that their union was 'unnatural.'

"I don't care what they think," Korra lied softly, rubbing Asami's back as she held her close. "I care about you. Okay? That's all. It doesn't matter what they say. We'll show the world that we were meant to be together."

For another minute or so, Asami merely quaked with rage as Korra tried to calm her. Then she began to breathe. In, then out. At length, she pulled back just enough to kiss Korra's cheek.

"You are right. I know you are, I just... didn't expect to have to deal with this. Not immediately." Biting her lip, she turned to stare over at the radio. "And I'm being selfish. People's lives are at stake. Spirits. In the long run, our comfort and privacy are nothing compared to that."

"It feels like it's the most important thing though," Korra admittedly agreed. She returned the small kiss from her lover. "Well…best-case scenario, we can teach Republic City to be more open minded. And worst-case…we can just…move somewhere else, I guess? I mean, that wouldn't be easy, but…as long as we have each other, I think we could make it work."

"But I don't want to move anywhere! This is _my_ home, and they won't drive me from it!" Then she adjusted her shirt and turned to the radio. Striding over to the table, she picked up Korra's discarded shirt and used it to mop up the mess she'd caused, brushing the shattered remnants of the jar into the waste basket. "Well. If we're going to start opening their minds, we're going to start immediately. I'll call a press conference. If they want to fire questions at me, they can do so, but _not_ in a restaurant when we're trying to have a good time!"

Korra raised an eyebrow. "A press conference? Are you sure that's a good idea?" Her mind flashed back to the many times she'd had to deal with the press. "They're really pushy, and they ask these weird leading questions that you can't even answer because the answer is kind of in the question, and…"

"Oh, I know how they are, Korra. Thank you for looking out for me, but... these 'Restorationists' have already decided that our relationship is open to public scrutiny." Taking a deep breath, she sighed and turned to regard her lover. "I'm going to go in explaining our construction plan, but I'm also going to prepare for questions about us. I won't run and hide. Maybe they're used to me being meek and level-headed, but I'm also not a coward. If they want to ask, they'll get answers — just maybe not ones they'll particularly enjoy."

"Okay," Korra said a bit apprehensively. "Well, in that case…would you mind if I'm there with you? I won't interfere or say anything if you don't want me to. I just feel like I should be there. You know?"

That did help Asami's expression soften. "I wouldn't have it any other way. You're my rock, you know that?"

Her "rock" smiled, her eyes lighting up like festival lanterns. "And you are my sunshine," she replied, embracing her lover and kissing her gently on the lips. "Asami, I know we haven't been together long, but now that we are, I can't picture my life without you."

"My life doesn't exist without you," she told her honestly. It sounded like hyperbole, but Asami meant it from the bottom of her heart. "Now... I'll understand if you don't want to get back to that massage. Plus I broke the rose oil all over the place during my tantrum, and I liked the smell of it more than the hemp oil."

Korre paused for thought. "I mean...yeah, the mood's gone." She smiled and rolled her eyes. "But...maybe I should give you a massage. You look like you're the one who could use it now."

Asami did think that over. She was tempted to say that she didn't want one, either, but thought it might be just as good for Korra to do something with her hands right now as it would be for herself to be forced into relaxing. A distraction to keep them from thinking in circles and lashing out at each other.

"Alright," she sighed as she began to unbutton her shirt. "But I'm... sorry if I don't seem very appreciative at first. You'll know why that is."

"I understand," Korra replied softly. "You're stressed." She reached out and helped Asami remove her shirt. "You've got a lot on your... oh, wow."

Gazing down to admire her lover's body, Korra noticed something different; there was a tiny, almost-imperceptible roundness to her lower belly that hadn't been there yesterday. Anyone who didn't see her naked, and often, wouldn't notice a difference...but the Avatar did.

"Look," she whispered, placing her hand over the small bulge.

Then Asami's pained, pinched smile turned to one of serenity in an instant. If not for what they just heard, the fact that she was already showing approximately a week after they conceived would have distressed her. Now? It was the only silver lining to an otherwise awful day.

"Our sweet angel," she whispered, her own hand resting atop Korra's. "Miracle of miracles."

Korra nodded. Perhaps, despite her fears, this baby would turn out to be the miracle they needed. She leaned down and pressed her lips gently against the soft skin of her lover's belly. "A sweet angel. Just like its mother." Then she smiled up at Asami. "Here...lay down."

After pulling away Asami's shirt, and carefully unhooking and removing her brassiere, she laid her lover down on her back and poured some of the earthy-smelling oil onto her hands. Leaning over Asami, she began gently massaging her shoulders and neck. "How's that feel?" she whispered.

"Mmmmm," Asami groaned, rolling her head from side to side slightly before it settled in a position perpendicular to her shoulders. Those calloused fingers had enough strength in them to definitely do the job they were being asked to accomplish. "Yeah, Korra... it's good, thank you..."

"Heh...don't thank me yet," Korra teased gently. When it felt as though the tension was leaving Asami's shoulders, her oiled hands moved lower, cupping her breasts and massaging them carefully in her palms. They somehow seemed firmer beneath her hands.

At first, Asami merely glowered at Korra playfully. "That feels good, but it's not exactly working on my muscles, Korra." But the more she kneaded, the harder it was for Asami to want to protest. Having them moved so gently was pleasant indeed.

"Feels good to me, too," she teased with a wolfish grin. "Mmmmmm...Spirits, you are so hot, Asami..." She gave those perfect pink nipples a gentle tweak. Then one of her hands wandered lower, ever so tenderly massaging the rounded part of her belly. "Even with...I mean...when I forget how nervous and freaked out this makes me, the idea of my baby inside you is...actually pretty hot."

That, however, made both of Asami's eyebrows go up. "What do you mean? How is me being pregnant 'hot'?" When she felt Korra's hands stop moving, she hastily added, "Not that I'm saying it's a bad thing. I'm just… confused."

Korra blushed a little, going back to her gentle massage. "Well, I...I'm not really sure. I guess it's because...it makes me think about how I put it in you? And… oh, I don't know, I just like it."

"Oh..." The blushing told Asami that at the very least, Korra was unsure of why it inspired this reaction in her. Thinking about it only made her feel a bit odd that they were being intimate when there was technically another person in the room. However, she knew from her basic health classes in her schoolgirl days that it was normal and healthy for pregnant women to have sex, and had no ill effect on the baby — and she assumed that included mentally.

"Is that okay?" Korra asked softly, stopping her massage again. "Is it too weird?"

"No, you're fine," she reassured Korra, rubbing her hands up and down the arms still resting gently on her. "That just isn't a way I ever thought about it before. It's not too weird."

Her smile returning, Korra went back to her gentle rubbing and leaned down to kiss Asami's belly again, taking in the scent of the oil and the softness of her skin. Then she sat up, took her lover into her arms, and pulled her into her lap for a passionate kiss.

"Good," she whispered against her ear. "Because I am incredibly turned on right now."

It was Asami's turn to blush now. "Oh, you are, are you? Could have fooled me."

Then she returned the favour by leaning in and taking one of Korra's earlobes between her teeth, pulling at it very gently. Korra gave soft gasp as Asami's teeth teased her ear. Then she nipped Asami's right back, moving down to place a trail of kisses along her neck.

"You're so beautiful when you're turned on," the Avatar whispered, cradling her lover with one arm while the other hand drifted to the hem of her pants. "I can't wait to make you moan for me..."

"Oooh... and I can't wait to moan." But then Asami remembered something else: her purchases. They were nestled neatly in the drawer of what had become "her" bedside table since Korra moved in. Initially, they had both been hers, but she had cleaned out the other one of the few assorted objects inside and allowed her lover to keep anything she needed in there. The same was true of one of her closets, but Korra had scarcely thrown a few of her outfits in one corner; it was a negligible usage of the space.

Her ruby red lips pressed to Korra's ear again. "Actually... would you be willing to let me make _you_ moan again?"

Korra's eyebrow quirked a bit. She had really been looking forward to having her way with her pregnant lover, but...Asami seemed to have something in mind. "Okay?" the Avatar replied with a shrug. "Sure, of course."

"No, I want you to want it." Pushing Korra back just a little, she stared into her piercing blue eyes with her own. Already, her breath was coming just the slightest bit faster. "I want you to need me driving you crazy tonight."

Korra grinned. Asami taking charge like that definitely helped her want it. "Yeah?" she teased, stretching languidly as she laid back on the bed. "Oh, baby, you already drive me crazy..." She put her hands behind her head and flexed as much of her torso as she could at once, winking cockily.

It was hard for Asami to want to go through with her plan, seeing Korra laid out before her like that. Part of her really did just want to be taken and taken hard — with more Waterbending, or even just her fingers. But she could wait. For now, she was trying to decide how best to implement this plan.

"Mmm, you," she purred as she raked her nails lightly down Korra's stomach, feeling every ridge of muscle. "So toned and so perfect. So ready for me." Leaning down, she ran her tongue up from her navel to the center of her chest.

Korra arched her back and sighed as Asami's fingers scratched gently across her abs, followed by a low moan as her warm tongue traced up the same path. "Nnnnhh… ohhh… I'm always ready for you, Asami..."

"Really? Good." Then Asami raked her fingernails harder down Korra's sides, gouging them in slightly. Not enough to draw blood, but she would definitely feel it. As she did so, her calculating mind was already plotting her next few moves in this erotic game of theirs. She would be requiring something very specific in a moment.

" _Ah!"_ Korra hissed and squirmed as those pretty, manicured nails dug into her sides. "Ohhhhh, Spirits… nnnh!" It was amazing how quickly could get her worked up, and how easily she could turn the tables.

Licking her lips as she drew upward, Asami began to jerk Korra's pants down and off, dipping her mouth down to clamp all her teeth over the thick muscles in her thigh. As she ground them inward, she managed to take the garment all the way off. Korra bucked and cried out as Asami bit firmly into her thigh while yanking off her pants. Then she laughed.

"Mmmm...you wanna play rough, huh?" Without warning she grabbed her lover's wrists and flipped them over, smoothly taking the upper hand and biting into Asami's shoulder.

"OH!" Asami shrieked when she felt the hard clamping of teeth upon her shoulder. It seemed Korra would not willingly submit this time. "Nnhh... thought you wanted me to take you." Then she pushed herself up and spun their bodies just enough to pin Korra's hands on either side of her head. Of course, they both knew there was nothing she could do to keep an Avatar in that position if she didn't want to be. "But if you'd rather wrestle, we could do that, too."

"We can do both, can't we?" replied Korra, making quite a show of flexing and straining her arms against Asami's grip. It would be far too easy to break free, so instead she ground her hips steadily upward against her lover's.

For a few minutes — indeed, two longer than she had intended — Asami ground her hips right back, feeling their legs slipping between each other. Sexual appetites flaring up slowly from quietly smoldering embers to a low simmer. Then, at last, she remembered she had a plan in place.

"Just a minute."

Korra whined in disappointment as Asami suddenly pulled away. She would have been happy for them both to just hump each other to climax with their legs intertwined…but it seemed Asami had other plans. Backing up from the bed, she took her pants off immediately. Then, her thumbs hooked into the waistband of her black underwear and slowly began to slide those down, as well. Korra sat up a bit and happily watched the show.

"Mmmmmm…I will never, ever get tired of this."

"Well," Asami sighed as she became entirely nude, "I hope you get an eyeful." To drive her point home, she placed her hands on her hips, the panties dangling from one of them. The slightest bit of wetness could be glimpsed between her thighs. "Because it's all you're going to see until you come for me."

Then she reached forward and tugged her underwear down over Korra's head until the waistband was covering her eyes.

"What—HEY!" Korra reached up as though to remove the panties, but she decided to leave them be, chuckling softly to herself. "You are just full of surprises, aren't you?" she teased. "Alright. Make me come, then. Here I am, ready and waiting…"

Grinning darkly, Asami gently pushed Korra back, knowing she would already be aware of the bed behind her. She wasn't interested in scaring her, just heightening the sensation. The surprise. Then she reached down next to the bed and picked up her lover's bindings.

"Now, obviously you can take this off if you want," she purred in a sensuous voice as she made a couple of quick loops around the panties, making sure they stayed in place, "but if you don't... I think it will be worth your while."

"Heheh…" Korra chuckled as she felt Asami securing the panties over her head. "Why would I wanna take them off? They smell just like you." She grinned like a fool and made quite a show of taking a whiff of the air around her.

"Thought you might enjoy that part," Asami chuckled, cheeks reddening very slightly. "Now, no peeking!" Then she rolled over just far enough to slide open her drawer.

"How can I peek? These things are jet black!" teased Korra, gesturing towards the undergarments obscuring her vision. Then she heard the sound of a drawer opening. "What are you doing over there?"

"Nothiiiing," Asami called over as she withdrew the apparatus as quietly as possible. She went with the medium-sized glass version, and it was already notched in place. Then she rolled over and stood on the bed, staring down at Korra as she delicately raised one leg, her balance impeccable, sliding the straps over that calf. "And I thought you said you liked mine black. That they were sexy."

"Oh, don't get me wrong! They are sexy!" Korra replied quickly. "I just never anticipated you using them like this. But it's a good idea, for sure! I might have to return the favor…gotta borrow some of your underwear, though."

In all honesty, that nearly caused Asami to fall over laughing. She did snort, but managed to pull the straps the rest of the way up and began securing it in place. "Well, I've been thinking you could use some underwear for a while, but... I wouldn't mind that, no." Then she moved one leg up to straddle both of Korra's hips. "So... are you ready for me to make you sing?"

Korra was about to make a snarky comment about not wanting or needing any fancy, modern underwear…but then she felt Asami's weight shifting the bed right beneath her. "Mmmmm… you know I am, baby," she replied with a grin.

There were so many things she could do, but Asami decided to start with something simple. Taking a step backward, she did a tightly-curled little backflip off the bed — mostly to keep Korra guessing. Then she walked forward again and began sliding her hands up over her feet, her ankles, her legs. Korra's breath quickened with anticipation. Upon reaching her knees, Asami crawled forward and continued until she was crouched over her sex, watching the hair rustle from her own breath. When those slender fingers settled on the folds, and she felt her breath warm against her wetness, Korra gave a moan and a shiver.

"Oh, Korra..." Running her hand up and down the soft petals, she sighed again. "You're so perfect."

"Y-Y-You're perfect…" she whimpered in reply, rocking needily against her lover's hand. "Ohhhh Spirits… Asami!"

"Yes," she sighed softly as she leaned in. For a moment, she wasn't sure she wanted to do it, but in the end she knew it hadn't hurt Korra in the slightest — and she had done it with the aqueous anatomy before it went into her hind end. No sense in being gunshy. Sliding forward, she tentatively pressed her tongue up against the already-rigid clit.

Korra nearly jumped right off the bed when Asami's breath grew closer and that wet, warm tongue went straight for her clit. She gave a pleased moan, spreading her legs a little wider to allow better access. "Ohhhhh yeah…Asami, yes…" She reached down and tangled her fingers into her lover's hair.

The encouragement from Korra's fingers helped Asami more than she cared to admit; it felt good, and she didn't mind doing this. In fact... it tasted much more pleasant than she would have expected, even when her tongue moved down between the soft lips. The aroma filled her lungs and her mind, taking her back to the forest clearing where they first made love. She revelled in it, drew it around her body like a warm blanket. All the while, Korra was writhing in pleasure, giving a deep, lusty moan as Asami's tongue moved up and down the center of her folds. There was something oddly satisfying about the counterpoint.

"Asami, that feels _so_ good," she whispered. Korra could tell that Asami was hesitant, but Spirits, it felt so amazing! "Pleeeease, _please_ don't stop..."

Except Asami did stop. Partly because she was still unsure of whether or not she enjoyed the taste of Korra on her mouth, but mainly because she knew there was more to be done. With a serene smile, she crawled up and over her until she was perched above, making sure the glass phallus was not yet touching anything below. Korra wrapped her arms around Asami's shoulders automatically, waiting to see what would happen.

"Kiss me. Kiss me and I'll give you everything."

Then Asami darted down, pressing her still-wet lips against Korra's. When ordered to kiss her, Korra did so happily, moaning into her lover's mouth as she tasted herself on those soft lips. She tangled her fingers into her hair and kissed her passionately, nipping and sucking at her lips with fevered energy.

As Asami poured her energy into that connection, into returning Korra's affections, she allowed her hips to begin drifting slowly downward. Their mouths had been entwined for nearly a minute before she felt the tiniest bit of gentle resistance against the glass implement held in place by the leather straps.

Korra gasped, eyes lighting up beneath the panties on her head, when she felt something smooth and hard pressing against her folds. Immediately her hands flew down to Asami's hips, groping curiously over the leather harness.

"Oh my— Asami, you dirty little rabbit-minx! Since when have you had this?"

Chuckling, she continued to grind the cool surface against Korra's womanhood. "About a day. Do you really think I could keep something this fun a secret for any longer than that?" As she felt Korra's hands exploring, she hummed in quiet appreciation. "So... do you like it?"

Korra sighed and whimpered with anticipation as Asami rubbed the shaft against her outer folds. "Nhhh...h-how will I know...if you just keep teasing me like this?" She hooked one leg around Asami's body and pressed insistently with one foot against her rear.

"Ooh," Asami cooed at the insistent body language. "Message... received." Licking her lips, she reared back and aligned the shaft with Korra's sopping-wet entrance. Then, in one smooth push, she began to edge it inward. She knew Korra had been with Mako before, and was not a virgin in this sense, but she still wanted her first time taking her this way to be memorable — so she could enjoy every instant.

Korra gave a low moan as she was entered, partly out of frustration; she knew what she was trying to do, moving slow and savoring every second… but Korra wasn't going to make it so easy. She quickly moved both her legs to wrap around her lover's hips, pulling her close and burying the shaft deep.

"Don't tease me!" she groaned. "Nnnnnhh...ah! Asami, please..."

A quiet gasp floated out of Asami's throat as she felt their hips connect, the glass phallus deep inside now. Korra needed this so badly now. What kind of monster would deny her what she so ardently desired?

"Please what?" Asami rumbled as she began to move her hips, still at only half the pace Korra would have done. "Please take you hard as I can? Do you want me to make you scream my name?"

Another low groan came from the Avatar's lips as Asami began to move slowly and steadily, as though Korra were a virgin needing gentle treatment. "Yes!" she cried excitedly, rocking her hips up to meet her lover's. "Yes, _please!"_

Taking a deep breath, Asami leaned in and nipped at Korra's ear again. "As you wish." Then, she drew out very slowly... and slammed her hips down with as much force as she could muster.

Korra gave a delighted cry as Asami finally moved against her with force, sending a wave of pleasure through her hips and up her spine. The Avatar locked her legs tight around her lover and threw her head back in abandon, sighing, "Yesssss...nnnnn...aaahhh! Asami!"

Following that initial moment, Asami was like a relentless freight train of pleasure, thudding into Korra's waiting sex with reckless abandon, mind on fire. She wanted more, she wanted to bend her in half, but for the time being this was more than enough. Korra was pleasantly surprised by how quickly Asami caught onto the motion, that subtle roll of the hips with each thrust, as though nothing could be more natural to her. It was beautiful. She squeezed her shoulders and tugged at her hair, pulling her down for a passionate kiss.

"Spirits, yes!" she whispered breathlessly. "Don't… stop…!"

Returning the kiss with equal pressure and delight, Asami quickened her movements slightly, sacrificing a shred of force in the doing. She simply didn't have the muscle tone to keep up both the speed and the brutality — or it was brutal as she saw it. Doubtless, Korra could easily withstand that treatment and would beg for more if she thought she would receive more. But Asami was determined to give all she had within herself.

More speed was fine, very good. Korra didn't think it would take much longer for her to finish, this felt so damn good. But she needed this moment to be more special, more intimate for the two of them.

"Asami… your underwear.. .take 'em off, please! I w-wanna look into your eyes..."

"Of... course!" Part of her had hoped to keep Korra blind for the duration, but by now it mattered so little that she simply reached up and whipped them off, throwing them off to one side as she reengaged her lover's lips, drinking of them as her hips came into contact with other hips, striving for more. Her own heat was dripping with need, but it could wait — and in the meantime, sending Korra into the stratosphere was such a show that she preferred it to being sated herself.

The moment the kiss ended, Korra pressed her forehead against Asami's and looked right into her eyes, cheeks flushed with need and adoration. "Yes!" she all but sobbed, pleasure rising to a tenuous plateau. "Oh! Nnn-nn- _ah!_ AH! Asami, I'm… I'm cl-close! I… _Asamiii!"_

A few more quick thrusts were all it took for Korra to topple into her climax, her whole body bucking and shaking beneath her lover. Then, after what felt like ages, she relaxed into the pillows, catching her breath in quick gasps.

Asami's thrusts began to slow and eventually came to a stop when she was certain the aftershocks had passed. Her face darted in and left kiss after kiss on Korra's sweaty neck, breathing in the salty scent that mingled with her nearby just-abated arousal. Korra sighed happily and wrapped her arms around Asami as she was kissed all over her. It had been everything they hoped it would be.

"So," Asami panted after a minute or so, "did... we get our money's worth?"

Once she'd caught her breath, the Avatar couldn't help but laugh. "Ha! I dunno, how much did you pay for that thing?" Then she looked down at the finely-crafted leather of the harness and added, "Don't answer that."

 _Less talking, more fucking,_ Korra thought. Asami had not been attended yet, and the Avatar could smell her sweet arousal beneath the leather harness. Moving quickly, Korra rolled Asami over and unbuckled the straps, dropping the whole rig on the bedside table. Then she Bent a thick rope of water out of the washroom faucet and began shaping it against her sex.

"Now it's your turn," she teased with a grin.

"So soon?" Asami wanted to laugh, or sigh, but all she could do was smile down at Korra affectionately. That such an exhausted Avatar could only think of her pleasure exemplified why she was with her. Rubbing her soft mons against the water, she sighed softly. "Mmm... you're getting even better at this, you know. Practice makes perfect, I guess."

"Getting better, huh? I'll take that." Once the water was shaped into a nicely-sized phallus, Korra sat up on her knees and gestured for her lover to sit up. The moment she did, the Avatar grabbed her, placing one arm behind her shoulders and the other beneath her rear end. From there, she lifted Asami effortlessly, pulling her down and forward, right onto the shaft.

"Unnnngh…" she groaned with satisfaction as she sank in to the hilt.

Being moved bodily like that gave Asami such a thrill, but she refused to admit it with words. Ever. Instead, she merely moaned at the entry of the thick length of Waterbending, feeling it slide effortlessly through her inner walls until it was all the way inside.

"Korra!" she gasped weakly. "It's... you're larger than before, it's s-so _big!"_

"Damn right it is," Korra chuckled with a cocky grin. "I'm the Avatar, baby." Cradling Asami against her like she weighed nothing, she began rocking her hips very slowly, pulling out to just the tip before rolling forward as deep as she could. "Can't have you forgetting that, now, can I?"

Crying out into the ceiling, hoping to the Spirits that their sound-proofing really was as thorough as she paid for it to be, Asami gripped Korra's shoulders as hard as she could, digging in with her fingernails. The pressure was greater than ever, and relentless!

"Are… are you punishing me for… taking you, Avatar?" she panted weakly as every inch of it blasted through her defenses over and over, sending shockwaves all the way from her scalp to her soles. "Did I… forget my place?"

"Ohhhh, _never,_ " Korra panted back, still moving painfully slow, deep and deliberate with each thrust. "This is your reward." She hissed slightly as Asami's fingernails dug into her shoulders. "Only the biggest and best…unnnh…f-for my woman…" She bent slightly forward to nibble at Asami's throat and collarbone, tangling one hand in her hair and pulling back gently to expose more of that graceful, pale neck.

Those words did as much to heighten Asami's pleasure as the actions did. Leaning her head over to oblige Korra's lips as they moved, she tried to widen her stance ever so slightly, hoping to allow the thick cock to reach an even deeper part of herself — to bring her to climax faster than usual. She yearned for that, and would do whatever she could to see that it happened now.

Korra's lips continued to lavish her lover's neck with kisses. She felt Asami's legs part and tense, as though trying to pull her in deeper; so the Avatar began to add a roll and a twist to her thrusts that she knew would hit just the right spot inside. "Yesssss…" she whispered. "Ohhhh, you feel so good…so tight and warm…"

Supporting Asami's weight with just one arm, Korra slid her other hand up, over her breasts, and back down to her belly. While her fingers curved tenderly over the soft swell that was their child, her thumb reached down to roll across her swollen clit.

The wandering hand did more than she expected. Yes, she loved having her chest and her clit teased, as she had discovered amply. What she did not account for was how she would react to Korra feeling her stomach. Instead of making her uncomfortable or ruining the mood, it increased her heat, heightened her arousal. Why?

Her only notion was that it was Korra's loving nature. Clearly, this was the woman that she wanted to spend the rest of her life with; one who loved every part of Asami and everything they could create together, brief panic notwithstanding. Never before had she thought "ideal wife and parent" would be a trait that might bring her closer to orgasm.

Korra smirked triumphantly when Asami's moans grew louder at the touch of her hand, and rolled the sensitive bud more quickly and firmly beneath her thumb. This made her lover's body squeeze tight around the watery shaft, drawing low, rubbing groans from Korra's chest.

"Nnnnh… n-n-nnnnn… ah! A-Asami! Ohhhhh Spirits, you feel amazing… ohhh!" She moved her hips faster and harder. "Let me hear your voice… mmmm… moan for me, love! I wanna hear you come for me…"

"Mmhnnhah! Korra, you're so hard! How can... water b-be so... _NNNHHHAAAAAH!"_

The triumphant grin on Korra's face grew threefold when Asami lost the ability to form words and just screamed, a piercing, keening wail that was bound to have been heard throughout the mansion. The sound was enough to make her ears pop, then ring slightly afterward.

That had been phenomenal. Every inch of Asami tingled, and her lower lips felt like they were aflame, rubbed raw by Korra's attentions. The Avatar kept bouncing and thrusting into her until she fell silent and grew limp. Rather than laying her back down, Korra cradled her comfortably against her torso, not yet ready to break the connection between them. With a weak gesture, she reached down and gripped the fleshy cheek behind where their sexes were connected hard, kneading it quietly as if it were the only way she could show her appreciation. In a way, maybe it was.

"Mmmmmmhh…" Korra sighed appreciatively as Asami squeezed. "You alright, baby? Did I wear you out?"

"A... little bit..." Asami sighed, stopping to force herself to swallow. Then she sat up and kissed Korra's sweat-soaked temple. "But it was so good! How do you... find the energy to do that back to me right after I finish you off?"

Korra kissed Asami right back and laid her back on the bed at last, dropping her hold on the water and sending it flying back into the washroom. "Heh. I dunno! I guess you just inspire me to do great things." She winked and laughed before flopping down beside her and draping one arm over her chest. "Mmmmmm… this is nice. It's hard to believe just a couple hours ago, I had the hangover of death."

Smiling, Asami curled around her lover as well, petting lightly along the upper arm atop herself. "Do you think we fucked it out of you?" Her cheeks were still rosy from the exertion of coitus, so it was impossible to see the blush that speaking in such a vulgar fashion brought to them.

"Yeah, guess we did," Korra teased back, pulling Asami a bit closer and nuzzling against her back and shoulder. "You really do fix everything." Then out of nowhere she yawned, loud and long. "Heh. Except I'm still pretty tired, I guess."

"That's fine, love. We can sleep now and clean up in the morning." To punctuate her offer, she stretched out a leg and just managed to knock the phallus-and-harness into the floor.

"In the morning," Korra agreed drowsily. She settled happily into the sheets, spooning Asami from behind with a protective arm wrapped around her and a hand on her belly. "Mmmmm… mine," she muttered against her raven hair as she drifted off.

The pregnant woman couldn't help but grin to herself at the possessive statement. Korra loved her, loved their child. As imperfect as their lives were, within that moment, she found it very impossible to care about anything else.

~ _To Be Continued_ ~


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> CHAPTER WARNINGS: homophobia, nudity, pregnancy, massages in hot tubs. (no sex)
> 
> If you haven't noticed (and you might not have, that's cool), I've been pretty busy lately working on a new Elsanna fic. Plus there are other projects still forthcoming that are getting tweaked in the background. Hope you like this update, though!

Two days later, Korra found herself preparing for her first press conference since the defeat of Kuvira. In truth, it was Asami's press conference; at least in theory, since it was only supposed to be about the construction plans being executed by Future Industries. But Korra knew the press well enough to know that other questions, on other topics, would probably be asked.

So she tried to look her best, making sure all her clothes had been freshly washed and her hair was actually combed with a real comb. Then, just after lunch, she and Asami departed for the capitol building.

Like most press conferences in the city, this was being conducted on the steps of the capitol, in front of the street and behind a big stone podium. President Raiko had matters of his own to address first, which took a good thirty minutes to finish up; but then, when Korra was expecting to drag on ages longer, he introduced her girlfriend.

"I'm glad you asked about the infrastructure," said Raiko. "Because we have our proud nation's foremost engineer on the job, and she is here to answer all your questions. Asami Sato of Future Industries has been assigned the task of designing and overseeing the new new, Spirit-friendly infrastructure."

Korra followed Asami up to the podium, standing just a couple of feet behind her. There was some polite, appropriate applause, interspersed with occasional hisses and boos. Just as Korra had feared, news of their affair seemed to be spreading fast.

But Asami seemed not to hear them. In fact, all she did was place her folder on the podium, flip it open, and look out over the crowd with a polite but dispassionate look.

"Thank you, President Raiko. Citizens of Republic City — as you know, my name is Asami Sato, and I am lead shareholder and CEO of Future Industries. Our company has long been the face of change in our fair metropolis, and it continues to be now.

"Both your government and your police force have been wondering what to do about the encroachment in the center of the city. It was decided that leaving it in place was important for the balance of the world. Since then, most of the roads into Spirit Park have been closed due to disrepair. Their interim solution was to reroute traffic around it. However, this has caused traffic congestion on a regular basis. A long-term solution was needed."

With that, she snapped her fingers. Varrick, always happy to be involved, hopped up onto the stage and grinned at the crowd like the ham he was, then whisked a large sheet from over a detailed canvas with a stage magician's flourish.

"This is a diagram of the proposed over-streets system," Asami began anew, gesturing to the illustration. "As you can see, it's similar to the bridges spanning our rivers. However, this will be a much higher and much more stable bridge than has ever been built before. It will take a team of dedicated Earthbenders well over a month to implement this construction, and we'll be consulting with them on the stability of various materials to ensure it will go up and stay up. The end result, ideally, will be safe and unclogged traffic for all citizens. Thank you."

Korra smiled and nodded in proud approval, arms crossed in front of her chest, as Asami explained her plan to the entire crowd. She looked so confident and at ease in front of all those people! And to Korra's pleasant surprise, her speech was uninterrupted, except by the whir and poof of cameras.

"Magnificent, Ms. Sato," said Raiko. "If that's all, then we'll open the floor for questions." Immediately all the reporters began to cram towards the front, hoping to have their questions answered.

"About how long will the construction take to be finished?"

"How much is this going to cost the city?"

"The city has already allocated funds for this project," Asami answered the woman promptly. "However, in light of the urgent nature of the roadway congestion, and due to our ongoing efforts to enrich the city rather than hinder it, Future Industries is willing to substantially lower our quote from what it normally would be. We're bringing in some of the best Earthbenders from Ba Sing Se, so it can't be completely pro bono; they have to eat, too."

There was a smattering of laughter following that mild quip, and Asami chanced a smile at the crowd — a small one, not one that looked overindulgent. She still had to play this just right.

Korra's smile grew as Asami handled the questions with ease, even throwing in a little humor. She was brilliant at this. It couldn't have been going better, Korra thought, until…

"Are you concerned that Future Industries may lose revenue because of your public indiscretions with the Avatar?"

Korra's eye twitched, fists clenching, as she scanned the crowd for the guilty party. She had promised Asami she wouldn't interfere, but this was completely inappropriate. She shot a glance toward her lover behind the podium, holding her breath to see how she handled this.

"I'm sorry," Asami said evenly, still with the same placid smile as before. "I assumed this press conference was in regards to the proposed construction of over-streets, not my personal life. Are there any other relevant questions?"

"Don't dodge the subject!" came a young-sounding voice from the back of the crowd. Korra's eyes flared with rage, but it was too late; the probing questions came from the reporters like wildfire.

"Do you and the Avatar intend to make a social or political statement?"

"Does Future Industries officially endorse alternative lifestyles?"

"Is it true that you're expecting a magic child conceived in the Spirit World?"

The last question was followed by quite a loud uproar from the crowd. Korra couldn't see very well, but she thought she saw a concentration of the color white near the back, as well.

"Interesting," Asami cut across all their voices, and one by one they fell silent. Her smile had vanished, and was now replaced with dark eyes and a tight-lipped grimace. "I thought the press of Republic City was above such petty thrill-seeking journalism. Before today, I would have assumed I could come to this podium and expect to be treated with common human decency and address the topic at hand, not be regarded as some kind of criminal just because of a few swirling rumours. I see now that I overestimated the people of this city, and I am sorely disappointed in that."

Korra stepped a bit closer behind Asami and placed a hand on her shoulder. She didn't speak; she thought only to be a silent reminder of the support Asami had from her. Even though her fists were trembling with anger, she knew Asami was handling this well. She wouldn't interfere. She wouldn't…

A scattered gasp went up from the crowd, and from somewhere in the back, an elderly voice shouted, "Deviant slut!"

Then a half-empty liquor bottle came flying through the air, right towards Asami. It was barely six feet from the podium when Korra took one step forward and thrust out her fist, sending a blast of fire at the bottle. It exploded in the other direction, showering the front of the crowd with tiny shards of glass. Several people screamed; someone laughed.

"You think that's _funny?!"_ shouted Korra, slamming both her fists on the podium in her overwhelming rage. "Now you all better listen up! You can think and say whatever you want about the two of us together, but if anybody else thinks they have the balls to take a shot at Asami Sato, then you'll have _me_ to answer to!" She struck a defiant stance and shot a huge plume of fire into the air above them. "So if you think you can take me, by all means, be my guest! Throw something else!"

There was a long, tense silence. Then, just as all the reporters began to erupt into a frenzy, Korra put her arm around Asami's waist and led her swiftly away from the front of the building.

"Korra," Asami sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose as the crowd noise began to fade from their ears.

"What?!" Korra snapped a bit sharply. Then she stopped in her tracks for a second, her hand shooting out to Asami's shoulder. "I mean—I'm sorry, I know I promised not to interfere. I…I'm sorry." She hung her head a bit. "But you could've been hurt, and…when I saw the bottle, I just…reacted."

"No, no. I was just going to thank you." Even though she still looked weary and drained, she slid both arms around the Avatar and drew her into a hug, hands pressing into her back hard. "For saving me from that bottle, and for everything you said. Even if threatening the crowd might not have been the most... diplomatic move, I couldn't love you any more than I do at this moment, Korra."

"Oh," Korra replied, dumbstruck and blushing like a fool as Asami hugged her. She wrapped her arms tight around her lover and buried her face in her hair to hide the tears of rage and relief brimming in her eyes. "Y-You're welcome." She kissed Asami's cheek. "I love you too, Asami. I'll always protect you, always." Then she kissed her forehead and cradled her face tenderly in one hand. "C'mon, let's go home."

With an arm around Asami's shoulder, Korra proceeded down the small side street they'd chosen to walk home. "So…hey, I was thinking about something that I wanna talk to you about. I figure, if we're gonna do this thing with—I-I mean, if we're gonna probably raise a kid, I should probably just move in with you." She paused. "If that's okay." Another awkward pause. "So…would it be alright if I moved all my stuff and Naga over from Air Temple Island?"

"Oh, Naga," Asami snorted weakly. "I was going to mention that you pretty much already live with me. But yes, that's absolutely fine." Then she cocked her head slightly as she rubbed a tiny circle on Korra's side. "Are you sure you don't mind? I never wanted to assume we would live at Sato Manor forever, but... I do admit, at this juncture it seems the easiest course of action."

Korra shrugged. "Well… Your big mansion isn't what I'm used to, so it isn't the easiest place for me…but it's definitely the easiest place to raise a kid. I mean, you're an actual millionaire, Asami; there's nothing our kid couldn't have if they lived here in Republic City. So…I think it's the right thing to do right now."

Nodding, Asami's head fell to Korra's shoulder. "You can make it your place a little more, you know. Since it's your home. The neighbouring room to mine is just a storage room, so... I'll have it totally cleaned out, and you can throw whatever you want in there. Um... would that help, or is that a stupid idea?"

Korra grinned. "No, that's a great idea! It means Naga can have a room of her own!" After all, Asami had said 'whatever you want.' She walked along happily beside her lover for another moment before she added. "Ooh! And can I have a fur blanket on my side of the bed? Heck, when you try it, you might want one, too…"

"Well... I suppose that would be alright." In all honesty, anything made from real fur had always made Asami slightly squeamish, but she knew it was standard practice among the Water Tribe peoples. "As for Naga, of course! I always knew you'd want her closeby if you could manage. Even though that wasn't what I was thinking when I offered you the room," she added with a chuckle.

"You have to consider, Naga was literally my only friend for like…seventeen years," Korra explained good-naturedly as they finally arrived at Asami's car. "Besides Katara, I guess. But she's been more of a grandmother than a friend." Then she chuckled. "A really cool grandma who helped me run away from home once."

As they climbed into the car and Asami started the engine, Korra added, "Soooo… would it be a problem to just run by Air Temple Island right now?" She blushed and grinned foolishly. "Because Tenzin's kind of…been sending me letters asking me to get Naga out of the Sky Bison stables."

"Oh! Well... I suppose we could." Privately, Asami was thinking it might be a good idea to avoid going home at that moment due to the circling crows of the press. Maybe this was for the best. "I'm just nervous about seeing him again after... well. After the conversation the two of you had, and everything that must be on the radio waves lately."

"You're the best girlfriend ever," Korra said, patting Asami's leg as the car began to wind its way down the road towards the island ferry. "And don't worry; I'm sure he'll be fine. He's Tenzin!"

"That's what I'm afraid of," she muttered.

~ o ~

Once they'd boarded the ferry with the car, Korra used the car to radio Tenzin and give him a heads-up they were coming. As she had somewhat expected, this meant their welcoming committee consisted of Tenzin, Jinora, Ikki, Meelo, and Naga all together. The moment the car moved from the ferry to the island, Korra was over the door and on the back of her polar bear-dog.

"Asami, welcome," Tenzin said with a friendly, unassuming smile, pointedly ignoring Korra as she laughed and let the massive animal lick her up and down. "I presume you've come to help Korra move her…" He finally spared them a somewhat-exasperated glance. "...companion animal?"

"I have," Asami chuckled, shaking his hand firmly. "I take it you're here to ensure that it actually departs your island?"

"Asami!" Ikki shouted, wrapping her arms around the taller woman's waist. Her free hand fell to the crown of her hair — which was almost up to her nose now. Time really was flying by. "It feels like it's been forever!"

"It's been longer for you than it has for me. Or didn't Tenzin tell you?"

"Tell me what?" she asked, backing up and releasing Asami.

"When Korra and Asami were in the Spirit World, time passed more quickly for us than it did for them," Tenzin explained to Ikki. "While they were gone from here for two months, no more than a few days passed in the Spirit World."

"Whooooa…" Ikki marveled.

"Hey, pretty lady!" said Meelo, rushing forward to throw his arms around Asami.

"Pema invited us to stay for dinner," said Korra, walking back over to Asami with Naga close behind. "Want to?"

"Now, how could I say 'no' to such a generous offer as that?" Asami chuckled, smiling at the three children. Even though she would have agreed just to be polite regardless, this was a family she genuinely enjoyed spending time with.

Even moreso now. On some level, she knew it was because she could observe how a more typical family unit functioned — something to remember for when she would be starting her own family soon enough. That was invaluable.

Their timing had been perfect; Pema had begun dinner just before they arrived on the island. No more than a few minutes later they were sitting down to a dinner of baked vegetables and beans and mushroom dumplings. Even though Korra didn't particularly enjoy eating a vegetarian diet when she stayed on the island, those dumplings had always been her favorite.

"We listened to the press conference on the radio today!" Ikki blurted out as the meal began. Korra blushed.

"Yes," Tenzin cut her off. "And we all think the construction plans sound magnificent. Republic City is lucky to have you helping us, Asami."

"And we all think all the crazy, gross rumors are just mean lies!" added Ikki.

Korra blushed even deeper red. _"A-all_ the rumors?"

"All 'uh them," agreed Meelo, crawling under the table and popping up in Asami's lap. "Have you really got a baby in there, pretty lady?"

The word "gross" when applied to those rumours was a bit harsh for Asami to hear, but Milo's question was one that was going to come up more and more — especially once her stomach started showing. No sense in procrastinating.

"Actually... I do," she explained gently, all of her attention on Meelo. That way, she wouldn't have to see the reactions of the girls, or their parents. Not immediately. "Something happened to me in Spirit World, and when I came back from there, I had a baby. I didn't know that until a couple of days ago, though."

"Cool!" Meelo replied earnestly. "Lemme know if you need any help. I'm great with babies." That broke the awkward silence at the table; but Korra was blushing all the way down her neck, and Tenzin and Pema exchanged a glance.

Thankfully, Jinora changed the subject and the meal went on. However, when Pema began clearing away the dishes, Tenzin said quietly, "Korra… may I speak to you in private? Briefly." So the Avatar disappeared into the adjacent room, giving Asami a reassuring smile as they left.

"Don't worry about them," said Jinora, moving to stand beside Asami. "I was going to meditate in the gazebo. Want to join me?"

"Sure," Asami agreed, thinking it might be healthy for her. She was also thinking it might be good to give Tenzin and Pema a bit to mull over the "implications" of her announcement for a bit before they were all in the same room again.

As they adjourned to the gazebo outside, Asami noticed the sun was nearly down. The waters between them and Republic City caught every shade of red and violet, reflecting them up and against the great statue of Aang that overlooked them all, standing guard for all time. The days when his image had nearly been removed forever were dark ones; she always saw him as a source of comfort and inspiration, even when her father had her worried that Benders were not good people. The Avatar was another story altogether.

"So," Asami sighed as she leaned back against the railing. "How do we start? I'm not, um, very experienced with meditating."

Jinora smiled as she situated herself cross-legged on the ground. "Oh, you don't have to meditate if you don't want to. I just wanted to give you a reason to get away, because you seemed uncomfortable." Then she gestured to the space beside her. "But if you do…just sit like this, and begin by relaxing and focusing on your breath."

Nodding, Asami pushed off and crossed to sit down next to Jinora, pulling her feet into position. Taking a deep breath, she slowly let it out and tried to allow her mind to go blank. It was slow going, and she couldn't seem to shake all the buzzing thoughts about the baby and the reporters and her future with Korra, but they grew to be less "sharp", for lack of a better term.

Jinora meditated for a brief moment, not on her own breath, but on Asami's energy and aura. What she found brought a subtle smile to her face. After a few minutes of this silent observation, she said, "You're nervous. That's to be expected. But he's going to be good." She turned to give Asami a reassuring nod. "Your baby, I mean. He won't be bad, like the angry Spirit. He'll be good, like Korra…like you want."

"Like the- how did you know about..." But she sighed and forced herself to accept Jinora's words. It wasn't as if this was the first time she had shown remarkable aptitude for anything to do with Spirits. "Are you sure he won't turn out to be... I mean, I'm just so worried because of how this came about." Then she squirmed slightly. "And... I'm sorry if you picked up on the full story of that. It's not something I'd generally share."

"I'm sorry too," replied Jinora. She placed a hand on Asami's leg and nodded in understanding. "That this has been so difficult for you. But you know…this isn't so out there. At least, you and Korra aren't. The Air Nomads performed marriages for two women and two men for hundred of years, before the reign of Fire Lord Sozin."

"Really?" Asami asked, perhaps too eagerly but she couldn't help it. "You mean... she and I aren't the only ones?"

"Of course not," Jinora said good-naturedly. "It just wasn't really accepted by any of the other Nations, so when all the Air Nomads were gone, people didn't really talk about it anymore. But… I bet there are more people like you in Republic City, if you know where to look."

Those were words she had to mull over for a moment. More like her? At the very least, the man running Biph's was a likely candidate. Why she hadn't put together that there were more women like her, and that they were probably the ones buying the equipment to create a high enough demand that they would stock them, she wasn't quite sure. Usually, connecting the dots was easy for Asami Sato.

Still, it was a hopeful thought, and one she felt would be wise to pursue. Smiling her first truly happy smile in what felt like a long time, she let out a sigh of relief. "Jinora... I don't know how to thank you. Even the slightest possibility that I might have other women out there like me, even just one or two..."

"Don't thank me," replied Jinora happily. "I'm glad I could help."

At first, Asami merely smiled. Then the smile disappeared and she found herself leaning toward Jinora slightly. "Wait, did you... did you say _'he'?"_

Jinora nodded. "Mm-hmm. It definitely feels like a boy. Men and women have different spiritual energies."

"Do they?" Asami had not known that. Then again, the things she didn't know about the spirituality and Bending could fill a library; she did her best to read up on the topic, but since she couldn't experience any of it firsthand, that made it harder for her to retain the knowledge. "Huh." Then her smile was widening. "I'm... having a son?"

"Yep," Jinora replied with a smile. Asami's apparent joy pleased her very much. Her hand reached out, hovering for a moment over her friend's midsection. "May I?" Then she placed it gently on her stomach. "Definitely a boy. And… probably a Bender, too."

Somehow, the possibility of him being a Bender surprised her much less than him being a boy. After all, it was the child of the Avatar, conceived through magical means; if he turned out to be a mundane child, that would be a great surprise, indeed.

After a second or two, Asami reached out and brushed the hair behind Jinora's ear fondly. "Thank you so much. You really are going to be a great leader of the Air Temple; already, you made a lot of my nerves vanish."

"Well, thank you, too," Jinora replied a bit awkwardly, never feeling quite comfortable receiving direct praise. "Like I said before, I'm just glad I could help." She squeezed Asami's hand, eyes darting slightly back. "Heh... Here comes the 'father'."

Sure enough, Korra was just emerging from over the garden wall. "Hey! Sorry about that. Tenzin wanted to ask me about some st—oh, hey Jinora." She smiled as she walked into the gazebo. "Meelo said Asami was out here but he forgot to mention his sister."

"No worries," Asami reassured her life-partner. "We've just been meditating a bit." Then she looked over to Tenzin. "Did you ask what you needed to ask, I guess?"

"I did," replied Tenzin. His face looked somewhat surprised, but serene. "I am very proud of Korra. I believe she's ready to rise to this challenge."

"Of course she is," replied Jinora. "She's a magnificent Avatar."

Korra shrugged a little bashfully. "Oh, you guys." She reached out and helped Asami to her feet, pulling her into a gentle embrace. "You ready to go home, sweetheart? Naga's already waiting in the car."

"Of course, whenever you are." Glancing over to the car, she saw the huge animal perched in the back seat, tongue hanging out. It would be easier for Naga to run alongside or behind them, but would also cause more of a disturbance amongst the city streets. Hugging her back, she turned to go, but first looked back to Jinora. "And... thanks again."

"Of course," replied Jinora. "Anytime." She gave both Korra and Asami a hug, and then Korra put her arm around her lover and led her over to the car.

"I didn't know you meditated."

"I don't, really," Asami chuckled. "But I'm thinking it might be time to start." Then she leaned closer once they were finally out of range of the substantially-enhanced Airbender hearing and whispered, "So... what did Tenzin want to know about?"

Korra sighed a little. "Tenzin just wanted to make sure I knew how serious this was, and that I have equal responsibility for the situation and stuff. I mean, he wasn't privy to any of… of us figuring this out. I think he was afraid I wasn't ready for so much responsibility." As they climbed into the car, Korra asked, "What were you thanking Jinora for?"

Once her door was shut, Asami smiled quietly to herself. Should she tell her now, or make it a special occasion? Deciding that it would be unkind to keep the baby's father in the dark, she leaned over and whispered very quietly in her ear.

"For checking on our son. She says he's fine and healthy."

Korra's eyes widened. "Our…son?" She grinned. "She says it's gonna be a boy?"

Grinning back, she waggled both eyebrows up and down while biting her bottom lip. "Uh-huh."

"How could she know that?!" exclaimed Korra. "That's… wow, that's _awesome!_ So she said it's a boy, and he's good and strong?"

"Yep! That really is one special girl. Tenzin's doing a fine job training them in Airbending, and Pema in... well, everything else." They both laughed. "Are you excited? Surprised?"

"I'm really surprised!" Korra chuckled. "But Jinora is a pretty insightful kid. She's very… spiritually gifted." She leaned back in her seat as the car began to move, reaching back to scratch Naga's leg. "You know, Tenzin also said that Pema has offered to deliver your baby. She's been the midwife for all the Air Acolytes for a good while, so she's pretty experienced. I thought that might be a little more… _private_ than just hiring a healer."

Inwardly, Asami was thinking that Pema had more experience delivering her own children than anyone else's, but either way her expertise could not be denied. Nodding resolutely as she began to pull onto the bridge, she said, "Done. We'll be lucky to have her. We'll just have to either come back here or have Pema move into the manor when I get close to full term."

"Great, I'm so glad you agree!" said Korra. "So that's one less thing we have to worry about…"

~ o ~

As soon as they arrived at the mansion, Korra carried all her things up to Asami's room, and began setting up the adjacent room for Naga. She moved all the furniture out herself, to the dismay of Asami's butler, and replaced it with Naga's things. This consisted of several balls, two massive dishes, and a pile of furs the size of the dining room table.

And Asami did her best to stay out of the way. That was quite easy, given that she had a lot of paperwork to go over and plans to approve, contracts to sign for the Earthbenders. But she wished she could help — that she was better with animals, or menial labour. She knew Korra didn't care, but she wanted to be more useful to her partner.

An hour later, she sat back from the desk and sighed, rubbing her temples. That was most of the night's work done; now, all she wanted to do was drag herself to the tub. Maybe even bypass that and go straight to bed.

Korra returned about an hour later, laughing and flushed and covered in polar bear-dog fur. She strode over to Asami's desk and laid a hand on her shoulder. "Hey! Wow, you look exhausted. Maybe enough work for one day, huh?"

It was hard for Asami not to burst out laughing at the state of her friend. "Oh, hey there, Naga. When you see Korra, could you send her back to my room?"

"Oh, come on," she goaded with a roll of her eyes, snaking her arms around to squeeze both of her lover's breasts from behind. "Could Naga do this?"

"Mmhhh," Asami groaned dully. "Not right now, Korra, I'm... just so tired." She punctuated this with a yawn as she caressed the hands on her chest. "Does feel nice, though."

Korra's face drooped with disappointment, but she brought her hands up to rub Asami's shoulders instead. "Well...if you're tired, maybe you should go to bed. You're sleeping for two now, remember?"

"That's true." Smiling faintly, she turned and pressed her lips into Korra's jawline — then drew backward as quickly, crinkling her nose. "Phew! _Please_ tell me you aren't going to come to bed like that!"

Korra chuckled a little awkwardly, decided not to mention that she had indeed intended to roll right into bed like that. "Heh… well, I can take a bath first!"

"You can and should," Asami chuckled. It was true that she loved Korra's scent when she had worked up a healthy sweat, but polar bear-dog was a whole other matter. Then she pushed to her feet and stretched tiredly. "And I think I'll join you, just for a soak. My muscles are too tensed up from being hunched over that desk, and from the press conference."

"Great!" Korra replied. If Asami was going to get in the bath with her, she was happy to take as long as a bath as Asami liked. And at least she could wash her up, if she didn't get to play with her tonight.

Once they were both washed and rinsed in the big, steamy tub, Korra suggested, "So how about I give you a back rub? No funny business, I swear…just something to help you relax."

"That would be great," Asami sighed contentedly, rolling over and landing herself in Korra's lap. The position was vaguely suggestive, but she was too weary from her long day to mind that very much. "And I am sorry I'm so exhausted, it's just... you know. So much going on."

"I totally understand," Korra assured her as she filled one hand with floral-scented oil and began spreading it evenly across Asami's back and shoulders. "Don't feel sorry. I just wanna take care of you… _both_ of you." She reached around and laid her hand over the small curve of her lover's belly. "Am I crazy, or is he bigger today than he was, like… two days ago?"

Nodding, Asami leaned back into the one hand already at her neck. "He is. Quite a bit, compared with how slowly he should be growing. I'm... not worried, exactly. Wary. I think that's the proper term for how I'm feeling about the supernatural nature of this pregnancy."

Korra pursed her lips worriedly as she began working her fingers into Asami's shoulders. "Ahh...yeah. Wary." she agreed a bit hesitantly. "So if you aren't feeling good, or if something just feels off, please tell me. Okay? I… I know we already talked about it, but… Tenzin and Pema kind of wanted to make sure you knew how dangerous this could be. A woman's body usually has nine whole moons to get ready for a baby. So if there's any pain, or anything, you won't try to tough it out, promise?"

"Of course," Asami hedged, looking down through the water at her fingers as they twitched. She knew while she was doing it that she was lying, but she couldn't help it; Korra needed to be reassured. However, she knew privately that she would likely try to push through the pain for the sake of her child. This was far greater than just her own needs, and though she wouldn't ignore her own safety entirely, she would err on the side of their little boy before she worried about herself.

It must have showed, because Korra didn't entirely believe Asami's voice; but she kissed her cheek anyway and continued her gentle massage.

"You know what I've decided?" she said softly as her fingers worked the smooth skin beneath them. "It is time for me to take some time off. I'm going to let Beifong and the Airbenders take care of this...what were they calling themselves? Separatists?" She shook her head. "That doesn't matter. Anyway, I'm taking time off, to be your personal caretaker and bodyguard until our son is here. And then to be a… a _dad,_ I guess."

Snickering quietly, Asami leaned back into the gentle pressure of her fingers. "You... don't have to go by 'Dad' if you don't want to. Despite how this happened, you're a woman, Korra. We can both be mothers to our son. But if you want to be his father, his 'Dad', we can do that, too." Then she sighed sadly. "As for taking time off... I'd love that very much, but I don't expect it of you. I knew who I was dating from the beginning; it's part of who you are. I'll respect you and support you whichever way you choose to go with this."

"I know you will, sweetie," she replied with a smile. "But...after talking with Tenzin, I think it's really important that I be around." Korra didn't want to say anything to frighten Asami without cause; but Tenzin had also mentioned that if the Separatist movement was to continue gaining ground, they may not be above targeting the child. "I want to be here for him… to protect and take care of him. Both of you."

Korra finished up the massage with a gentle kiss to her lover's shoulder, and then started climbing out of the bath. "I gotta think about what I want him to call me," she continued as she wrapped a towel around herself. "Two moms might get confusing."

Though Asami did catch the hint of apprehension and worry in Korra's voice, she merely assumed it was her protective instincts about their baby. "Suppose it might." Then she rolled over and folded her hands on the edge of the tub, perching her chin on top of them. "Korra, do you think I'll be a good mom? I mean, really — and don't just say I will because you love me."

Korra was a little surprised. "Huh? Of course you will! I mean it!" She finished drying herself off and sat cross-legged beside the bath where Asami was leaning. "I'm sure you will. I mean, you're a natural with Meelo and Ikki and Rohan. Why wouldn't you be a good mom?"

"Oh, I don't know. Just nerves, I guess." After another moment of contemplation, she swam forward and leaned up to kiss one of Korra's shins lightly. "Thanks."

"Anytime," said Korra. She helped Asami out of the tub and returned the kiss on the tip of her nose. "Heh. You still look exhausted. Let's get you to bed, huh?"

"Yes, let's."

A few minutes later, they were both dressed in pyjamas and lying in bed — Korra in substantially less than Asami. With Korra's hand perched on her stomach, she felt oddly content, despite her earlier worries. They were going to be good to this child, providing everything went well with the pregnancy. He'd be loved and cared for. All else was mere details.

_~ To Be Continued ~_


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> CHAPTER WARNINGS: drunkenness/alcohol use, pregnancy, foot massage. (no sex)
> 
> NOTE: Sorry again about the shortness of this chapter and the lack of NSFW content; it was best split up this way. Hope you enjoy regardless!

Just as she had said she would, for the next three weeks, Korra stayed home. She felt bad about it at first, until about a week in, when Chief Beifong reported that her metal Benders had already apprehended two mercury bombs before their timers ran out to detonation. Clearly, they had the situation well in hand.

After that, Korra began to relax a little more. She spent most of her time accompanying Asami to her meetings and other business affairs, and when Asami's business could be done at home, Korra trained in the gym. It was a bit more dull than she was used to, but she got to see her lover every day and night, so she wasn't complaining.

One day, after visiting Air Temple Island so Asami could get a quick checkup, Korra found herself in a particularly joyful mood. "Wow…" she marveled as they sat down in the car, placing a gentle hand on her lover's round belly. "Six months. I still can't believe this is happening so fast."

"Neither can I, but here we are," Asami laughed, snaking one arm around Korra and allowing the other hand to rest upon her lover's stomach. It had finally grown so large that it was as if she were carrying a very small melon under her clothes. Pema had loaned her quite a few maternity shirts, and even though they weren't terribly stylish, she was determined to simply wear them rather than waste a lot of money on clothes she would be getting rid of before the month was out.

"Between Pema's experience and my calculations, it's pretty likely that I'll be dilating in a little over a week — two at the most!" Glancing up at Korra's face, she flashed her a weary but completely elated smile. "Isn't it wild?"

"Wild" was one word for it, for sure. In truth, this frightened Korra each and every day; but she was in generally better spirits today, after hearing from Pema that Asami seemed to be strong and healthy, and so was their baby boy. She nodded in dumbfounded agreement and sank back into the seat, smiling like a fool at her lover.

"Heh. This is all happening so fast," Korra said a couple minutes into their drive home. "It's all gonna be over so fast. And I…" She giggled very briefly. "I think you look really beautiful in those Air Temple clothes."

A dark little smirk tugged at the corner of Asami's mouth, though she kept her eyes on the road. "Oh, really? Because you laughing and calling me 'Aasami' on a daily basis really conveys 'beautiful' instead of 'a walking fashion disaster'. Can't tell you how much I've appreciated it."

Korra flushed a little awkwardly and looked at her feet. "Ahh. Then I'm sorry, Asami; I didn't mean to hurt your feelings. I guess I…I've wanted to tell you how gorgeous I think you look…like this." Her eyes darted down to her round belly. "I just didn't know how to say it, it felt so…weird."

"Don't worry about it; I'm kidding. Well, _half-_ kidding."

After a moment, Korra said, "Hey. You know what? Let me make it up to you. I know you've been avoiding bringing up shopping for baby stuff because it was kind of freaking me out…so…why don't we drive into town and shop for that stuff? I think I'm ready." She gave Asami a reassuring smile and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Really?" There was actual relief in Asami's voice now, not just happiness. "Because I've been worrying that I'd end up just going there with Bolin to carry my packages, but... if you're serious about this, then I'd love to. Let's go, right now!"

Without waiting for Korra's response, she turned the wheel sharply to take them down another street, cutting off another motorist. When the man angrily shook his fist at them, she leaned out her window and shouted, "I'M PREGNANT WITH THE AVATAR'S BABY!" in a voice that brooked no argument. In her rearview mirror, she could tell he was utterly stunned.

Korra's face was absolutely stunned, hands white-knuckled on the seat beneath her. Asami had made an illegal turn and was shouted at, and shouted back! Something Tenzin had said to her weeks ago suddenly sank in: _'…and as for Asami, keep a close watch. Expect…crazy things…'_ This probably wasn't what super-spiritual-Tenzin meant, but it rang true in that moment.

"Yeah, you are!" she retorted to Asami. "So drive a little more carefully! Please?"

"What? Oh... sorry, I just didn't have the patience for his nonsense!" Then she took a deep breath and smiled as if the previous moment had never occurred. "Now, baby shopping! Oh, Korra, we need so much — of course, if this weren't such an unusual pregnancy, we'd have plenty of time to worry about it, but we're going to have to put our noses to the proverbial grindstone!"

Korra raised an eyebrow, but nodded in agreement. "Mmm…yeah. But we can probably get it all in one afternoon, right?" She paused, feeling like her cluelessness on these matters was quite apparent. "I mean, I gotta admit, my experience with babies is mostly Water Tribe babies, and…I don't know how you were brought up as a baby or the customs with your…-peop—family?" There was another long, awkward pause. "I can't believe it's never occurred to me to ask before, but…Asami, where was your family from?"

"Hm?" She had been too busy glancing at the names of shops to take in Korra's question, but then she seemed to mentally backtrack enough to catch it. "Oh, from the Fire Nation. My paternal grandfather was already living in Republic City as a child, but my mother was a more recent immigrant." Then she pulled over to the side of the road, having seemingly spotted a likely establishment.

Korra nodded. That made sense. Asami's pale skin and raven hair were classically Fire Nation. "Okay," she said, as Asami began to pull the car over and park. "So...how are babies handled in the Fire Nation? Because the way I know is just like...you wear your baby against your skin. Always. And I assume that's not what you wanna do." She paused. "It makes a lot of practical sense when you live in the South Pole."

"How about," Asami laughed easily as they exited the vehicle, "I'll raise him in my ways, and you raise him in yours? I wouldn't want to deprive our son of either cultural influence." When she had reached Korra's side, she slid her hand into the crook of her elbow. "You can carry him against your skin sometimes; I want you to do that if it's part of your upbringing. However, I will mostly be putting him in a stroller or a bassinet. Which we will need to purchase, by the way."

"Stroller. Stroller." Korra had to search her brain to think of what the item was. Then it occurred to her. "Oh yeah, sure. We can get one of those."

When Korra and Asami walked into the store, some people's eyebrows raised a little, and a few openly stared. But this was a big and expensive enough store, Korra thought, that a paying customer ought to be able to shop in peace regardless. Wasn't that what these places cared about?

"Okay, so what first?" said Korra. "Seriously, you tell me."

"A bassinet and a stroller," she half-laughed. "And of course, we'll need some clothes and diapers. I'd like to get him a few small toys or a baby blanket now, if possible, but those can wait if we run out of time, or just end up filling the car."

The way they were walking together, arm-in-arm, made an old woman with her hair in a bun scowl at them. However, when Asami merely smiled and waved directly at her, she gave an affronted huff and moved along quickly.

Korra was embarrassed and a bit nervous, but she walked with her chest high and eyes straight ahead. Wandering around the store, it didn't take them long to gather a pile of things as tall as Korra could carry. Though Asami had insisted on an absurd number of 'practical things,' Korra had grown equally irrational when confronted with the wide selection of toys.

As Korra stuffed all of their purchases into the backseat and trunk, she remarked, "Yeah, I mean, I never figured we would fill the car."

"Guess diapers will have to wait until another trip," Asami giggled. But she didn't seem terribly concerned. After all, they had another week and then some. As she returned to her seat, she asked, "Are you sure you don't want to go back for that polar bear-dog stuffed toy? It was practically calling your name..."

Korra's eyes lit up and she laughed. "Haha! Didn't you see? I got that one." She grinned wider. "Actually I got two, one for him and one for me. Because it _was_ calling my name."

"You did?" She craned her neck around to look in the back seat, but she couldn't see them through all the other mountains of items they had wound up with. "Korra, you sneaky little..." But then she just leaned over and laid her head against her lover's shoulder. "You sneaky little angel."

Korra laughed even harder. "Whoo! You—you had me going there for a second, honey!" She kissed Asami's cheek and gave her a tug. "C'mon, let's get all this stuff home."

"Yes, let's."

~ o ~

A short while later, they were pulling up outside the manor. A few members of the staff assisted them in getting all the items put in the room on the other side of Asami's room, opposite Naga's new "lair." Together, they were eventually able to set up the crib and the changing table, plus get some of the clothes put away in a closet. The diaper shelf looked quite barren without any actual diapers to fill it with, but at least they had a place to put them.

"But the bassinette will go in our room," Asami reassured Korra when she had expressed misgivings about the baby sleeping so far away from them. "Don't worry, he won't be sleeping in his own room for several months."

Korra nodded. That was good. She didn't want to be apart from their son any more than she had to, especially in the dark of the night. Although if she had her way, the child would be sleeping between or on his parents, not in his own 'basin' or whatever it was called.

"I slept with my parents for a long time," she said. "Until… Wow. Until they realized I was the Avatar and the White Lotus took me away."

"Really?" Asami asked, in genuine surprise. "They weren't afraid they would... I don't know, roll over on top of you? I would be." But then she saw Korra's dejected face and smiled. "We can let him sleep between us a few times — but not while both of us are asleep. I'm not all that comfortable with that, it still seems dangerous to me."

Korra's eyes widened in shock. "Oh my- is that a thing that happens? To babies?" She shuddered a little as she imagined the implications. "Ugh… I…I've never heard of that happening in the Water Tribe. Nevermind then. We can just…take turns sleeping with him? For naps?"

"Maybe Water Tribe children have more resilient bodies," Asami pointed out with a slight chuckle. "I'd believe it, knowing you. But yes, that sounds like a good plan." Then she rounded the newly-erected crib and raised her hands to rest gently against either side of Korra's neck. "And I'm really quite pleased with how great you're being about all this. I know our boy threw you for a loop — threw me for one, too, but you even moreso. Being able to share in the experience now is... it's really heartening."

"I gotta admit, I'm still scared," she said sheepishly, resting her head against Asami's, hands encircling her waist. "But… I wouldn't change any of it now, and that's the honest truth. I'm more impressed with you. You just… took everything on so confidently!" She kissed her lover's forehead and raised one hand to run her fingers through that silky raven hair she loved so damn much. "You know… Tenzin told me that a woman becomes a mother in spirit as soon as she finds out she's pregnant, and a man becomes a father in spirit when the baby is born. I think for me it kind of fell in the middle, you know?"

They both laughed. "That's actually not a bad comparison. But you're not a man — even if you are the father." Then a mischievous little smirk played over her lips, one she couldn't quite suppress. "Although, I guess if you took another trip into the Spirit World and came back permanently changed, it wouldn't be the worst thing in the world..."

Korra almost choked on her own laughter. "Ha! Are you saying you'd rather I have a real dick than a… fake Waterbending one? I think Bending one is way cooler." She pulled back a bit and crossed her arms, pouting playfully. "Seriously, I bet no other Avatar has ever thought of that."

Sighing, Asami played it out a bit longer, pretending to be only vaguely interested in their conversation. "Not 'rather'. That's the wrong word. More like… it would be a non-issue. I could still make you orgasm with the force of a thousand Earthbenders, regardless." Then she grinned. "But you're right; Waterbending onto your anatomy is a stroke of genius."

"Genius is a good word." She pulled Asami back into her arms and kissed her cheek. "A thousand Earthbenders, huh? That's pretty good, too. I think that sums it up." Her kisses wandered down a little to her lover's jaw and throat, hands cradling her neck and her back ever so tenderly. "I'm feeling particularly genius tonight, if you're in the mood, my love…"

"Well..." Asami waffled, she truly did. Eventually, she simply deflated in Korra's arms and sighed. "Spirits, that sounds so good, but I honestly don't think I have the energy tonight. Incubating your spiritually-charged seed is a lot more exhausting than I thought." With a tiny pout, she added, "Forgive me?"

Korra laughed a little awkwardly. She was still harboring a little guilt over the situation. "Of course I forgive you! We can just go to bed tonight if that's what you want. Heck, I'll even rub you back and your feet first, if it helps you rest…"

As Korra's neck was halfway up to kiss Asami on the forehead, there was an inopportune knock on the door. "A thousand pardons, Miss Sato," came the butler's voice from the other side of the door. "There's a call for Avatar Korra."

Rolling her eyes, expecting it to be Chief Beifong nagging her to rejoin the investigation, Korra went to the door with a frown on her face. But when she took the phone from the butler and grunted 'hello' she was pleasantly surprised.

"Korra? Korra, hey, it's Mako!" came her friend's excited voice, loud enough for Asami to hear the conversation as well. "Are you guys busy tonight? Bolin and I stood in line for the stadium lottery all day and we got tickets to the Probending Finals! Tonight! And we're pregaming at the usual places. Do you guys wanna come?"

Korra was struck dumb for a minute. She wanted to say yes, but she hadn't forgotten the offer she'd just made to her lover. "Ahhhhhahaha… that sounds great! But I—"

"Come on!" Bolin was already saying in the background as Asami tried her best to mouth 'what is it?' so Korra could see her. "You guys have been nonexistent since this whole 'Spirit Baby' deal happened! Cut loose, hang with us guys!"

"Hang on a sec," Korra said, covering the receiver with her hand. She looked at Asami and said as sincerely as she could, though still quite unconvincingly, "Mako and Bolin want us to come out to drink and watch a Probending match, so I was just gonna tell them we're staying in tonight…"

"You promised me a foot rub," Asami groaned exaggeratedly. When Korra started to look like she was actually going to turn them down, she laughed and added, "Just a quick one. Then you can go meet those two clowns at whichever bar they're at by that time."

Korra's eyes lit up and she mouthed _'thankyouthankyouthankyou'_ before saying. "Tell me the first two bars you're hitting and I'll meet you there in an hour." Mako said something, and she nodded, hung up, and handed the phone back to the butler.

"Asami, you are the best, you know that?" Korra laughed as she shut the door behind the butler. She sat down on the end of their bed and patted the mattress invitingly. "I'll give you the best foot rub you've ever had."

Smiling tiredly, Asami sank into the bed with a gust of air. "Sorry for not just letting you go now," she said as she kicked off her slippers and turned toward her lover. "They're just so swollen and achy lately... if I'm not going to have you to snuggle with tonight, I at least want some help relaxing before I drop off to sleep."

Korra smiled. "Aw, don't feel bad," she replied. "I'm always happy to do this for you." She took Asami's ankles in her hands and rubbed them gently before moving down to her feet, rubbing her thumbs gently over the soles. "And don't worry; when I come back and fall into bed, then we'll snuggle."

The moan that resulted from her initial rubbing was as near sensual as it was soaked with relief. "Mmmm... oh Korra, why does pregnancy have to be such torture on the toes?" As the thumbs did their work, she smiled softly and said, "Thank you. I'll be glad to roll over and snuggle back."

"I'll even brush my teeth first," Korra joked, as she gently spread Asami's toes with her fingers and soothed her soles with the palms of her hands. "Seriously though, you sure you don't mind being alone tonight?"

"Hmmhhh," Asami intoned as the Avatar's capable fingers increased the pressure to her tortured flesh. "You're... making it really, _really_ hard to let you go, but... yes." Opening one eye to watch her at work, she smiled serenely. "I know you and I have been joined at the hip since we found out I'm pregnant, and with the break from Avatar duties. You deserve a chance to blow off some steam."

That made the Avatar grin like an idiot. "I know I've already said it, but… you're the best!" Her fingers moved around to cup to top of each foot as her thumbs kneaded gently into her arches.

"No, no, not both at once, that- _AAAIIHhhhh_..." Melting completely, Asami slid backward by several inches, now propped on her elbows as she was pampered. "Oh Spirits... how do you know how to _do_ this so well? I know I always ask, but..."

Korra gave a hearty laugh as she continued kneading the soft flesh of Asami's foot. "You really wanna know my secret? When I was in training under the Masters of the White Lotus, I was pretty much studying the Bending arts, like…all the time. Literally. So one of the Masters would give me arm and leg massages at the end of each day to help keep me in shape." She shrugged. "Not the sexiest story, I know, but I learned from the best."

Chuckling weakly, Asami flexed her feet against the onslaught of pleasure. "Well, how about you be the one to carry our second child, and I'll treat you to these all the time? Seems like the only way to balance the scales." Then she raised one up and poked Korra's cheek with her toes. "And that'll be enough for the time being, love. Get going before you miss all the action."

Korra didn't quite know what to say about "their second child," as she couldn't see herself ever having a baby; but Asami ended the foot rub before she could say anything back. She stood up and stretched a bit. "Alright, alright. Gotta get ready first."

After digging around in Asami's walk-in closet, Korra found the pieces of what would probably be a fine disguise. She wanted an easy night out with her buddies, and that meant she couldn't be recognized. So Korra bound her breasts more tightly than usual, and donned a tunic and trousers in green, with a yellow coat and gold headband. As long as nobody payed too close attention to her, they probably wouldn't even notice her blue eyes in the low light, let alone the fact that she was a woman.

"Okay," said Korra, kneeling by the side of the bed to give Asami one more kiss before she left. "Sleep tight. I love you so much."

"Hate when you cover up that fantastic chest of yours," Asami told her in a quietly indignant voice, but not one without humour. "Love you, too." Then she was pulling the covers up tighter under her chin, waving as her lover slipped out the door.

~ o ~

Less than an hour after the disguised Avatar slipped out the door, three dark figures descended from the edge of the mansion's roof. Who knew how long they'd been there, waiting to make sure she did not return — but they moved with all the nimble agility of spiders. Clad all in black, faces covered all over except for their eyes, they entered the house through its windows.

The staff was up and about, but they were prepared; one blow dart was enough to drop an elephant-koi for hours. Down went the butler, and two of the maids, as they silently made their way to the master bedroom…

~ o ~

"It feels like it's been ages since we've hung out," said Korra, leaning on the bar of a small, run-down pub near Dragon Flats. She downed her second shot, made a sour face, and followed it with a mouthful of lychee juice. "Nnnn—whoo! _Damn,_ that stuff packs a bite. What'd you say this was, Bolin?"

"Fire rum," the round-faced man replied unsteadily as Mako walked over to lean on his shoulder. They had been in there ever since the game ended — with the White Falls Wolfbats being narrowly edged out at the last moment by the Tu Zin Tigerdillos. "Eeeeeeeverybody down in the Nire Fation drinks it aaaaaaall the time! Ain't it great?!"

~ o ~

As the intruders had anticipated, the door to the master bedroom was unlocked. Asami Sato was all alone in her bed, covers up to her shoulders. Even though she appeared to be asleep, all four of them dropped to the floor and began to slink across the carpet towards the bed, unwilling to risk anything…

Asami stirred. Something didn't feel right; the glowing presence in her stomach felt as if it was urgently trying to get her attention. She tried to ignore it, but it was nearly impossible.

~ o ~

"Fire rum!" Korra exclaimed happily, pink in the face as she downed her fourth shot of the stuff. "This is even better than fire mead! Huh, Bolin?" She slapped her friend a little too hard on the back, making him spray his drink across the room.

"BLEH!" Bolin growled as he recovered, hacking and coughing. Mako was laughing up a storm. "Geeze, Korra, will you watch that Avatar strength?" But he was also laughing by the end of his sentence. It was still the best night out they'd had in a while.

"Heyheyheyyyy, keep it down, man," Korra hissed at him, though she was still grinning. "I'm on the down-low tonight. Asami and I can't afford any bad publicity right now, you know? I know the tabloids would explode with her about to have a baby and me down here getting completely smashed." She waved at the bartender for another shot. "You know?"

~ o ~

One at each corner of the bed, the four intruders stood up together, and the one to Asami's left pressed a chemically-treated cloth against her face. She struggled, as predicted, managing to knock one of them on the chin with her fist; but in another second she was unconscious.

Her final thought before fading from the waking world was, "My baby... Korra!" Then she knew no more.

~ o ~

"Okay, okay, sorry!" Bolin laughed loudly, clearly not as concerned as she was. "I mean, we can pound anybody who tries to mess with you into next week — and so can you! Snotta big deal!"

Chuckling as well, Mako shook his brother's shoulder. "Bro, am I going to have to cut you off?"

"NO! I'm just ffffine! Besides, you've been drinking too, right?"

"This is still my first earth-lager. I have to make sure you two lushes make it home and don't end up sleeping in the harbor, you know."

Korra nodded as well. "I haven't been this drunk since… since I…"

Since she'd run away from Asami when she found out she was pregnant. All of a sudden, the Avatar got a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach.

"Guys, I…I think I need to go home," she blurted out of nowhere. "This doesn't feel right. I'm probably just overthinking it because I'm so fucked up, but… I just get this weird feeling I need to be with Asami right now."

~ o ~

The central lair of the Separationists was a smallish basement with low lights, clearly an improvised space. After all, their leader, Kapu, was not a man of any particular means. He'd been poor when he moved there from the Northern Water Tribe, and he was only a little less poorer in the big city. But he was determined, and charismatic, and he believed in his cause.

He was sitting at the head of a long wooden table in the basement, waiting, when his trained assassins entered with the captured heiress.

"Wonderful job," said Kapu with a dark smile. "You finished even quicker than I expected. Now, lay her on the table, and bind her wrists and ankles to the legs."

Removing the assassin's hood from his face, Kapu's younger brother, Ruto, said, "But brother… I thought you said she was a victim in this, too."

"And she is," agreed Kapu. "But she still must be considered dangerous, as she will consider us her enemies. We are simply binding her so that she'll stay put. She will serve only to bring the Avatar to us, I promise you."

And so they removed the hood and began to draw her legs back — but Asami had a surprise for them. In the blink of an eye, she went from completely limp and apparently unconscious, to a flailing, kicking, chopping machine. The kidnapper by her right shoulder was dealt a nasty bloody nose, and the one by her left foot would be feeling aches along his vertebrae for years to come. However, it didn't take them much longer to fully subdue her, being in the condition that she was.

"Let me GO!" she half-screamed. "How can you monsters do this to a pregnant woman?! This is low, even for terrorists!"

Kapu was more than a little surprised. He laughed a little, amused by her fighting spirit.

"Relax. You will not be harmed… as long as the Avatar has the good sense to cooperate with us." He paused. "Can't say the same for your little monster, though. But that can be seen to in good time."

_~ To Be Continued ~_


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> CHAPTER WARNINGS: Avatar State sex, Waterbent phallus, pregnancy sex, lactation/nursing.
> 
> NOTE: We're almost done! I am sorry about the long delays getting this fic up and published, but I promise you this is the second-to-last chapter! Hope you've been enjoying it.
> 
> As you may (or may not) know, part of the reason for the delays with updating is that I'm also self-publishing a book! In fact, I launched an Indiegogo campaign enabling you to preorder a signed copy, plus some other fun perks! Just google **"Bleeding For Eurydice"** \- should be the first result! Any amount you could back, to show your appreciation for the fic I write or because you're interested in the premise, would be great! I'd rather have a dozen people just get the "featured perk" of the book by itself than have five people get more expensive perks; I want this story to get read more than anything else. That's the real goal.
> 
> Anwyay, after that commercial break, on with the show!

The taxi home bumped and swerved a little much for Korra's taste, but she managed not to throw up. Barely. She hugged Bolin and Mako goodnight, assured them she could put herself to bed, and staggered a little nervously into the house… and right away, when the butler wasn't there at the door to greet her, she knew something was wrong.

"Hello?" she called, moving quickly through the hall and up the stairs. There, at the top of the staircase, she saw the butler, lying prone with a dart in his neck.

"Oh Spirits…" Korra breathed. "Asami!"

She dashed down the hall as quickly as her drunken legs would carry her, burst through the door of their room, and found the tousled bed empty. Her heart seized in her chest. Asami was gone. Purely because she was out of the house, they had swooped in and taken her.

Panicking, she grabbed the private phone by the bed and dialed the police station. "BEIFONG!" she shouted the moment she heard the other line click. "Get me Chief Beifong!"

"Slow down, Korra," Lin Beifong said a few minutes later. "And I have to say, you sound a little drunk — are you sure she's been taken and isn't just out somewh-"

"No, she's been kidnapped!" Korra shouted back. "I was out drinking with Bolin and Mako, but — but I got back and the bed is empty and all the staff has been blow-darted! And… ohh, Spirits, there's a note on the bed…"

Korra fell to her knees in trepidation as she reached for the note, reading it with a trembling voice into the receiver. "'W-we will negotiate with the Avatar alone… or the c-c-consequences will be swift and severe…'" A slight sob crept into her tone. "Dammit, Beifong, get over here _now!_ I need your help!"

The chief didn't waste any more time on the phone.

About twenty minutes later, she and a few of her most trusted officers were examining and documenting the crime scene, following procedure to the letter. Beifong was dividing her attentions between supervising and discussing the situation with the Avatar, who was now downing a cup of the strongest black tea in the Sato household.

"Much as I hate to say it, this was a pretty clean job. The note is sloppy, though; they left us a much bigger clue than they thought." Cocking her eyebrow as she handed it back to Korra with her gloved hand, she asked, "That big shaggy brute of yours around here, or back on Air Temple Island?"

"Naga's here!" exclaimed Korra. "She's upstairs!" She realized with horror that if Asami and the butler hadn't insisted on a night lock for Naga's door, she might have been able to interfere in the abduction. Of course, hindsight was always crystal clear.

Immediately, she dropped her coffee and ran back upstairs, unlocking the bolt and throwing open the door. Naga had been whining and scratching on the other side all along. "Good girl, Naga, I know you tried," she whispered, rubbing her friend's head and scratching her chin. "We gotta find Asami! Come on."

"Here she is, Chief!" Korra shouted from Naga's back as the huge animal leapt down the stairs. "Give her the note. Naga, sniff!" As Korra's trusty steed got a noseful of the kidnappers' scents, Lin nodded in satisfaction.

"We had been planning to survey the area where the radio signals mostly likely originated from and try to pinpoint their hideout. This little blunder and Naga's incredible nose will cut down on that legwork substantially — we can hit them fast and hard. Normally, we'd hold off until tomorrow night when they're not expecting it, but with the Avatar's child on the line..." Taking a moment to grip Korra's shoulder hard, she gave her an even look that conveyed both compassion and determination. "Even if I _didn't_ like you two kids so much, it would still take precedence. Since I do, though... I want to injure a few of those jokers personally."

Korra smiled and nodded at Beifong. That was the kindest, most approving thing the woman had ever said to her, and all things considered it meant a great deal. She reached down to offer the chief an arm up onto Naga. "Come on," she said. "We'll be quickest this way. They want to speak with me alone, so I can go in. You keep watch with Naga, and if anything goes wrong, you can have your forces a couple blocks away and ready to strike."

"MEN!" Lin snapped as she hopped up behind the Avatar, one arm around her waist and the other remaining at the ready. More habit than anything. "We're moving out!"

A moment later, Naga took off out of the mansion, nose to the ground and paws flying. Polar bear-dogs didn't track quite as fast as a Xirshu, but they could track a fair bit farther; therefore, Korra considered them the best tracking animals in the world.

Naga took them on a twenty-minute run, halfway across town, to the Water Tribe district of the city. She stopped several yards away and pointed with her nose to a small house, where all the lights were on inside, and two young men guarded the only entrance.

"I'm going in," Korra whispered to Beifong as she climbed down from Naga. "Have your men at the ready. If I need backup, I'll make a clap of thunder. Okay?"

"Roger. We'll catch any stragglers." But before Korra could leap down, Lin grasped her forearm hard. "No funny business and no showboating. Get the job done. I'm still an officer of the law, and I know how you like to play fast and loose with it."

"I want for this to go cleanly as much as you do," Korra replied softly, jaw set with determination. "I know what's on the line here."

As she walked towards the door, it became clear that the young men standing at the door were Water Tribe. For some reason this angered her even more, and there was a growl in her voice when she said, "I'm the Avatar. I'm alone. I'm here to talk."

The young man escorted her into the modest house and down into a small, dimly-lit basement. It was sparsely furnished; just a long table, a few chairs, a radio, and a map on the wall. One man was seated at the table, a Water Tribe man of indeterminate middle-age; but Korra's eyes went straight to her lover, bound by all four limbs to the table.

"Asami!" she cried. "Are you alright? Did they hurt you?"

"I'm fine," she sighed in an irritated tone, even though her eyes were full of both affection and annoyance. She was in good condition, other than her lack of shoes and warmer clothing; no bruises or cuts to speak of. "But what are you doing here, giving in to their demands? You're far more important to the world than either of us — even though I would tear these fools limb from limb to protect my son!"

Korra's eyes watered a little as Asami spoke. "No, that's not true. Just—just let me take care of this. It'll be okay."

"Don't move any further, Avatar," said Kapu. He slowly raised one arm from beneath the table, revealing a long whale-bone knife. "I'm in control here."

"Okay," said Korra, stopping in her tracks with her hands up. "Okay. Okay, I'm not moving. You said you wanted to talk. Let's just talk."

After a moment of silence, Kapu nodded his head to send the two guards upstairs. His knife hand moved forward across the table.

"Our goals are simple, Avatar Korra. You brought down a plague of Spirits upon our heads when you opened that second portal. We want them gone. They have their own world to inhabit, and we don't need them ruining ours!"

"I understand why you're upset," Korra said cautiously, hands still up with her palms open. "But you can't just go blowing places up and kidnapping people. There's a better way to solve this."

"No, there isn't. You are on their side — as you have proven by creating that, that... unnatural THING growing inside this poor woman!" Gesturing to Asami's swollen stomach, the man continued to toy with his blade. "But no matter. She is an innocent, and will be free to go once the abomination has been purged."

"I can't let that happen," Korra said in a slightly louder voice, eyes turning dark and dangerous. "He's a human life now, even if he was created in a strange way; he has to be protected. Now name your terms, so nobody has to get hurt."

Lip curling in disgust, he pressed the point of the dagger into the tip of his index finger, apparently thinking this would be a show of his own determination. As a red bead formed around the dagger's tip, he growled, "That _is_ one of the terms. You get rid of all Spirits from our city — destroy them, push them back into their own world... we honestly don't care either way as long as they are gone. And that includes this false child, which must be destroyed! Such an abomination cannot be allowed to exist, here or anywhere!"

"You _really_ don't have any idea what you're talking about, and I think you _really_ don't understand who you're dealing with, either," replied Korra, voice rising to just below a shout. She had told Beifong she'd do this clean, and at least she could say she'd sort of tried. There just wasn't much room for negotiation with a blade so close to her lover's neck. "Now I'm giving you one more chance to rethink those terms, before this goes south."

"And I'm giving _you_ one last chance to relent to them, before someone most certainly will." The blade moved closer, and Asami flinched away from the droplet of the man's blood that landed on her partially-exposed collarbone. "Because as we said, we only need remove the child. Killing its source of nutrition would certainly accomplish that goal as well as anything. It would merely be regretful if it came to that."

Korra's heart seized at the man's words. She closed her eyes, speaking dangerously soft. "I was afraid you'd say that. Asami—hold on tight…"

And then a moment later, when Korra opened her eyes, they were bright white with pure power. She was in the Avatar state, with access to the full power of Raava. One small movement of her hands knocked the man on his back with a powerful gust of air. She rose slightly off the ground, lifted by a swirling tornado of air and fire. Then she raised her hands and Kapu's head was surrounded by a small pocket of no air.

"I warned you, insolent fool, that I was more than you could handle." Korra's voice sounded as one with that of Raava.

"And WE warned YOU!"

When the man raised his hand, it seemed as if he might have something to combat her, despite her enhanced form. But there was nothing. His pitiful Waterbending, skilled though it was, bounced off her Airbending shields as if it were not even there. Ice formed around her legs, and she merely took flight. Eventually, he backed up against the wall, eyes wide and teeth grinding together, completely at his wit's end.

"Guards! GUARDS! Stop this traitor to mankind!"

The man's hoarse cry brought the guards down, but Korra kept the swirling ball of negative space around his head with one hand, bringing a slab of earth up to crush the guards against the roof of the basement. As the slab came back down and their limp bodies crashed to the floor, Korra leapt over the table to stand in front of Kapu.

"They're the lucky ones, dying fast. But for threatening my woman, and my son…" Her voice deepened further as she took a single step forward. "I will watch you suffer."

With a swift twist of her wrists, Korra pulled all the air from the man's lungs, white-light eyes shining right into his desperate gaze.

"KORRA, STOP!"

It was Asami's voice, and perhaps the only one that would cut through the haze of the Avatar state. Craning her neck, she did her best to look to where her lover stood, poised over the dying man. "It's... not worth it! Please, let the authorities have him — you don't need to end his life to save me!"

Korra heard Asami. She hesitated for only a second before stopping as her lover requested. Remaining in the Avatar state, she released him so he could breathe, and then pointed her fingers upward to shoot a bolt of lightning into the ceiling above him. As she'd predicted, it created a huge burst of thunder, drawing the Metalbenders in only seconds later.

Eyes glowing bright, Korra burned away the ropes holding her lover, taking her gently into her arms as the police swarmed around the man on the floor. "I'm getting you out of here," her parallel voices whispered.

"As you wish," Asami whispered. She could say nothing else; Korra had heeded her plea. She had resisted the apparently-strong temptation to destroy the man who had kidnapped and threatened the Avatar's family.

Both of those facts gave her such a deep pleasure in her heart in such different ways that she found she was already leaking silent tears as they blasted upward through the roof and into the night sky.

"Well, I'll be damned," Beifong said a few seconds later when she kicked at Kapu's leg. "Fainted. Nothing like realising you've gone up against the real live Avatar to make you lose your grip on the waking world, I guess. Get a medic in here!" Then she and her men were busy cleaning up after Korra's mess. Again.

~ o ~

Korra propelled them both through the night with continuous fire coming from both her feet, flying them out over the harbor like tiny rockets. She needed to get Asami somewhere completely safe, somewhere they could be absolutely sure nobody would be…and the first place she could think of was Avatar Aang Memorial Island.

The Avatar didn't put her lover down until they were in the center of the temple, in the great, windowless meditation room. She lit all the torches with a single pump of her fist and placed Asami on her feet.

There was a moment of silence as her glowing eyes stared into her lover's. Asami afforded her a weak smile, which Korra did see but did not return. Then, out of nowhere, she kissed her.

Asami melted into the lips of her hero, the one she called a partner. After what she had just been through, there was literally nothing in all the four kingdoms that she would rather be doing. Her hands pressed gratefully into Korra's back as she breathed her in, as she felt the Spirit energy resonating with that inside her abdomen.

Hands trailed down Asami's back, around her waist, and across her round belly as they kissed. Korra had been so terrified that she would lose her forever, and so angry at the men who kidnapped her…the Avatar's love and rage were both so overwhelming that they kept her in the Avatar State. She needed an outlet for all that sheer power, and Asami was it; only the love she felt for her could possibly be powerful enough to sate her adrenaline-driven hunger. Driven on by Asami's breathy sigh of desire, Korra pulled her a bit closer and began kissing and nibbling down along her jaw.

As the lips moved lower, Asami began to feel her own need awakening very slightly, but she ignored it. Surely, not even someone as brash as Korra would suggest they defile a sacred site, would she?

The nibbles seemed to suggest otherwise. However, she couldn't bring herself to speak or resist Korra. Being able to touch her again after worrying that the zealots might kill her as she lay on the table... it overcame any misgivings she may have had.

Korra sensed the slight quickening of her lover's pulse, and laid her down on the soft, straw-mat floor, quickly moving the velvet cushions to support her head and her hips. Then she quickly began pulling Asami's robe away from her chest, cupping her swollen breasts through the fabric of her nightgown.

"I need you," both voices sighed. "Now." She tore the front of the nightgown down the middle and took one pert nipple between her lips.

A quiet squeak issued from her throat as the fabric was torn open, but the mouth on her breast soon calmed her, the gently arousing motions of the tongue both soothing and enticing. They had been noticeably more tender the past several days, though she hadn't said as much to Korra — especially knowing how she would likely react. Maybe afterward.

"Mmhhhhnnhh," she moaned quietly as she was fondled. "That's... so good, I love it..."

So Korra responded by suckling a little more firmly at her lover's breast, squeezing the other soft orb in one hand while she gathered her robe around her hips with the other. Her fingers ghosted up and down her pale thigh, then up to the soft, taut skin of her belly.

As they always seemed to do without any particular effort, Korra's fingertips and lips began to easily sway her, to awaken her needs. The thin panties weren't enough to keep her from experiencing the teasing so close to her core. It hadn't been all that long since they last enjoyed each other's bodies, but at least a few days.

Then she began to feel something stirring. At first, she assumed it was the baby, but then she knew better; it was much higher. Inside of her breasts. Korra's agile mouth was plying at the swollen nipples so effectively that-

Before she could finish thinking it through, worrying about it, she felt liquid spurting forth from inside the soft mound, through the nub and into Korra's mouth.

"A-ah!" she breathed in surprise and dismay. "Korra… I…"

However, Korra seemed less surprised than she ought to have been when warm milk began filling her mouth from her lover's breast. Both her hands came up to knead and massage along with the ministrations of her mouth. After a few moments, she swallowed and came up to kiss her.

"How could anyone think this is unnatural?" her dual-voices sighed, hands cradling her lover's swollen belly. "What could be more natural? Look how you've blossomed with my son."

Asami's eyes were wide at how casually Korra seemed to react. She herself was sure there would be many hours spent wondering how she felt about that happening — later. At the moment, she was being caressed and doted upon by a being filled with the energy of the universe. Future discomfort was a trivial concern.

"You... you're so incredible," she managed to croak out, running her fingers through Korra's hair even as she kissed her neck again. "How you always manage to save me... to save everyone..."

Korra's eyes widened and seemed to glow brighter, and she groaned, as Asami's lips trailed down her neck. "I'll always save you," she whispered. "I'll always come for you, always. And…speaking of which…"

The Avatar sat up confidently on her knees, tore the front of her pants in two, and Bent the sacred water from the Temple basin into a larger version of their familiar water-phallus. Then she tore Asami's undergarment in a similar manner, took her gently by the hip and shoulder, and lifted her onto the thick member.

"A-Asami…" she sighed as she lowered her lover slowly down her length.

The surety of her actions seemed to erase any misgivings Asami had. It was _Korra_. She would never hurt her, never even endanger her. The few times she had been nearly hurt while in the Avatar's stead had been as either the result of the villains, or Korra's then-uneducated status. The more she learned about how being the Avatar works, the better a protector she became.

Though the pure girth of the water sliding past her defenses tested this belief to its limits. Yes, she was able to admit it, but it made her feel so tight, so filled! It danced on the boundary between pleasure and pain, both delighting and torturing every inch of her inner walls. She loved it. She loved Korra.

The dual-voices trembled in ecstasy as Korra felt everything through the water, her lover's body stretching around her girth. Her light-filled eyes never left Asami, waiting for that cry of pain that would stop her in a flash—but it never came. So she lowered her fully onto her member and hitched those long, slender legs around her muscular hips. With their child in the way, Korra had to keep Asami leaning just slightly away; but it was easy for the Avatar to do this with one strong arm laid along her back, a tender hand cradling her head and neck.

The moans grew exponentially the minute Asami felt the Waterbending reach the deepest part inside of herself. The energy was different — greater. And it was filling every corner of her body. So overpowering, so glorious! Surely there was no greater feeling than to make love to someone in the Avatar State. As she locked her ankles behind Korra, adjusting to the feeling of something this large inside of her body, she felt her middle grinding into Korra's, the life they had created again held between them as it had been when they created him.

At first, Korra just rocked and circled her hips slightly in place, getting Asami warmed up as she adjusted her to being so full, so open. Then her free arm curled around her lover's hips and lifted her gently, before letting her rock back down. In the Avatar State, she felt as though every molecule of water was wired deep into her body and soul. She'd never felt this much power and energy and sheet need before.

"NnnnNNN-A-Asami!" she gasped. "Y-you feel so good! Ahh-ahhh-AH!"

"OH! Oh, shit — KORRA!" Truth be told, it was too much. Asami was certainly going to feel that in the morning — if she was able to wake up before late afternoon, at that rate. Hardened water ground past her hips, less and less gently with every thrust, and her fragile flesh was just barely able to handle the width. She wondered briefly why Korra had made it so much larger, but the answer was simple: the Avatar in this state craved more sensation, and a larger amount of water gave her that. Somehow.

In the Avatar state, Korra could feel everything—including the pained gasp hidden in the way Asami cried her name, and the way her body clamped painfully around her with each faster thrust. Korra closed her eyes and forced the water in; she made the shaft denser and heavier, but less thick, taking away the strain on her lover's body.

"Forgive me, my love," the Avatar's voices sighed in unison as she ground her hips in a slow, steady circle. "It's far too easy for me to...to...l-lose myself in you..."

For a moment, Asami slumped against her lover, though she did not ask her to stop, never ceased her own movements. "I'm sorry," she whispered at last, "I d-didn't... want you to know, because it felt so good, and y-you needed it... but you were so huge inside me!" Licking her lips, she pressed them again into Korra's jawline. "So perfect and magical! I w-want you to make me finish! Want _you_ to finish inside me again!"

"Of course," groaned Korra. "Yes, of course..." Lifting her lover ever so gently once again, she began thrusting the slightly-smaller shaft into her with the precision to strike the perfect spot inside each time. She could feel that energy inside of Asami, she could hone in on it easily...and so it was simple to use her Bending to isolate that second chakra and make her passions soar.

The energy that Korra began to manipulate was indeed terrifying, but it felt so fantastic that she couldn't bring herself to worry. Even though sex with her was always fabulous, this was on an entirely new level! Every inch of her body began to go rigid and slack alternatingly, her toes curling against each other, her back arching. Each pressure-filled buck of Korra's hips sent her breasts bouncing, and they felt so much more sensitive than usual that it only added into her arousal.

It had never been like that before — and Asami was starting to think that was a good thing. Sex like this was best enjoyed sparingly.

A similar thought rang through Korra's mind: that she couldn't possibly do this on a regular basis. She felt as though every inch of her body was on fire with the passion of her lover and her Avatar spirit and the child between them and everything was just so… damn… _much!_ But it felt amazing to be this deep inside Asami, to be one with her. She bounced her a little more quickly and insistently against her powerful hips; and in a simultaneous contradiction she laid a serene, gentle hand on the round belly in front of her.

"Come for me," she whispered breathlessly. "T-Together… Asami…!"

Nodding weakly, Asami allowed her body to undulate freely under Korra's insistent thrusts, hearing their bodies collide over and over as the ecstasy overflowed, as her sex took the punishment gladly. The constant bouncing of her chest between her stomach and her neck was equal in fueling her to reach the end of their post-rescue activities quickly.

"YES! Yes, Korra, I'm- it's _happening_ , I'm coming! KORRAAAAAaaaAAAHHH!"

Then something she had not been expecting happened. Indeed, her orgasm burst over her with greater force than ever, and she felt her walls clamping down on the still-thicker-than-normal cock. However, all the squeezing and bouncing and suckling her breasts had withstood seemed to have sent them into overdrive. Thin mother's milk began to leak from her with each bounce, sliding down the pink peaks and onto her chest. Some droplets were even flung up onto her face, or down onto her stomach. More came from the breast Korra had not drank from, but all the same it was her biggest surprise since finding out she was pregnant in the first place.

Korra had been carefully holding back her own release, almost through willpower alone, so that she could share the moment with Asami. So when Asami screamed and wailed and those soft walls clamped down hard around her shaft, the Avatar let go and came along with her, eyes fluttering closed as she gave a deep, growling moan.

She didn't realize her lover's milk was flowing again until she felt a warm droplet upon her face. A smile ghosted over her lips. Without opening her eyes, she took the other nipple she had ignored before into her mouth and lapped away every bit she could.

"Hmmhh," Asami cooed, unsure how to feel about the sensation. In the end, she decided to worry about it another time; in the present, it felt comfortable and natural, and was some relief for her swollen bosom.

When they both began to come down from the massive high of their release, Korra cradled Asami in her arms. Then she gave a long, deep sigh. There was a gentle hum. When she opened her eyes, they were her own again; the Avatar State had left her body.

"Spirits…" she breathed. "Ohhhh my… Asami, are… are you okay?"

She was, but only marginally so. Her body twitched feebly, mouth open and eyes half-closed. Utterly drained. As she lay there in her lover's strong arms, drenched all over her body from multiple fluids, the only response she could seem to muster was, "Hmmnh?"

Korra laughed nervously and held Asami a little closer. "Damn. Okay. Um… was that 'good hmmm,' or 'bad hmmm?' I… I've never done that before. I mean, in the Avatar State."

Asami seemed to let out a breathy laugh as she tried to hang onto her lover, but her limbs simply had no energy. Finally, she swallowed and whispered, "Love you," then curled around Korra as best she could as her eyes began to slide closed.

Korra was relieved, but began to panic again slightly when she realized that Asami was falling asleep. She was losing consciousness in the middle of the Avatar Aang Memorial Temple, naked… and the place would be open to visitors in less than six hours. Korra had to get her out of there, and Asami was in no state to help.

Placing her lover on the temple cushions, Korra evaporated away all the water she'd used for their coupling, and quickly pulled up her pants. Then she wrapped Asami up as best she could in one of the silk tapestries hanging from the wall. She'd worry about having it replaced later. It was in this state that she cradled her lover like a child, while riding an air-scooter just beneath the clouds, all the way back to their home. Korra was just beginning to think of the Sato mansion as her home, too.

Naga, the wonderful companion that she was, had come back to the house and was waiting for them in the front driveway upon their arrival. So Korra allowed her to follow up the steps and into their bedroom.

"You can keep me company," she said to Naga as she laid Asami on the bed and carefully stripped her of all her remaining shreds of clothing. "While I… uh, clean up."

A few minutes later, Korra managed to carefully move her pregnant lover into a warm bath, all without waking her. "Having ridiculous strength has its perks," she commented to Naga as she took off her own clothes and climbed in as well. "No, Naga, you can't get in… you'd hate it anyway, the water's warm."

Eventually, Asami began to stir as the gentle hands cleansed her, tending to her needs lovingly. Then she smiled up at Korra with unbridled affection. "Hey… hm?" Blinking around dazedly, she asked, "Did I fall asleep in the tub? That hasn't happened to me in a long time..."

Korra laughed, eyes sparkling as she met Asami's gaze. "Hey! I'm so glad you're finally awake! No, you…you fell asleep in the temple. Half-naked. So I brought you back here." Naga leaned over the side of the tub and licked Asami's face. "Ha! Naga's glad to see you, too."

Laughing, she pushed Naga's face away before her own went slack. "Oh... the temple. Oh my GOD, Korra, we did that in the TEMPLE!" Cheeks burning crimson, she slapped both hands over her face and cringed. "We're really terrible people, aren't we?"

"What do you mean?" Korra quirked an eyebrow. "Well… I did it in the Avatar State, so it was Raava, too. So it couldn't have been _that_ terrible of a thing." She grinned wolfishly. "That's how that works, right?"

One of Asami's eyebrows raised up as she gazed across at her. "Oh yeah, fantastic! Tell me I had sex with an ancient spirit from another dimension who's been passed down from Avatar to Avatar — _that's_ going to make me feel like less of a cheap floozy!"

Korra's eyes saddened a little. "Well, since I've lost my connection with all my previous lives, maybe it's kind of like starting over with a clean slate?" She laughed nervously. "But… really, Asami, did that make you feel… cheap? I didn't mean for… I mean, I thought it was really exciting. I'm sorry."

"No… no, it didn't." Sighing, Asami dug deep and managed to produce a smile. "It was pretty incredible sex, Korra, I'm just… completely beside myself that we let the mood carry us away like that! You in the Avatar State, me on sacred cushions and moaning, it's- we're going to get arrested if we don't be more careful!"

"Yeah, you have a point…" Korra agreed, her eyes widening as she suddenly imagined facing Beifong on charges of public indecency. "No, you're right, we should not do that again. _Buuuuut_ I'm still really glad we did it." She paused, grinning. "Aaaaand I think 'moaning' is too gentle of a word for all that racket you made."

More and more was coming back to Asami, and as it did, her head began to sink down between her shoulders. "I'm hoping this is just a fever-dream, but I think I… _nursed_ you. Is that weird? I mean, we've done that before, but it was before my breasts actually had something inside!" Squirming, she couldn't help but ask. "Did... you enjoy that?"

"No, that was for real!" she laughed, blushing. "It was… yeah, I did like it. Is that weird?" she asked honestly, with a slightly worried expression. Her hand found her lover's swollen belly underneath the water. "I know it's supposed to be for our baby, but he doesn't need it yet, and… it was kind of sexy. I think that's okay."

"Yeah..." Her cheeks warmed up. "I mean, the milk part wasn't as sexy for me, but you drinking it? I didn't mind… and it was a way to share myself with you. So in that way, it made it even better." Then she leaned in and kissed Korra's lips lightly. "And if you think it's sexy, then that's fine with me."

Korra smiled with relief. "You are the best, you know that? You're just… so open and understanding." She kissed Asami back and rested their foreheads together happily.

Behind them, Naga placed one paw in the soapy water, before pulling it back and whining pathetically. Korra looked over her shoulder distractedly and sighed as she realized what was the matter. "Oh. Um… and speaking of you being so understanding and open… I forgot to mention that polar bear-dogs need to swim. In cold water. Like, a _lot_ of cold water."

Chuckling, Asami patted Naga's paw where it rested on the edge of the tub. "Well, I'm not sure I can help you with getting a pool put into her room; that might be a huge undertaking, I'd have to bring in contractors to survey how much Bending it would take. But she's welcome to the indoor pool for the time being."

"That would be really cool! Then if it's okay with you, after this I'm gonna freeze some raw meat up in an ice block and throw it in the pool and let Naga have at it." In truth, the animal needed a lot more water than that, and colder. At Air Temple Island, she'd been able to swim freely in the bay water around it, but Asami's mansion was much farther inland. Something else would have to be devised long-term, but… they could worry about that after the baby was born, probably.

For several seconds, Asami was quiet with contemplation. Then she said, "Would you… be opposed to having Naga a bit farther away from you? She's still welcome to sleep in that room occasionally, but I think a better solution for her might be to create a habitat in the back garden." Snuggling against Korra's side, she went on, "Chilling it during the summer months might be difficult, but it shouldn't take much Earthbending to build her a small cave out there, and easier to put a pool there than inside her bedroom."

Korra's eyes lit up. _Perfect!_ Asami had brought it up so she didn't have to. "That's a great idea! I'm sure we can find a way to chill it in the summer. Heck, it wouldn't be hard at all for me to freeze the bottom of a pool once a day. Maybe freeze the cave too, and make some ice floes… Asami, you're a genius!"

"That's what they say," she replied with false bravado. Laughing, she turned to Korra and smiled. "I'm... not the kind of woman who gets that attached to animal companions, but I see you and Naga together, and Bolin with Pabu. I'd never want to separate you guys, or even inadvertently be the reason you're apart."

"I really, really appreciate that," she said softly, taking Asami's hand and grinning right back at her. "For years, Naga was my only friend, so… she's very important to me. Not to mention she comes in handy for a lot of things. Polar bear-dogs are just really cool."

"No pun intended?" Asami chuckled.

Korra laughed. "Hah! Yeah, I didn't mean to, but that was a good one." She paused. "Seriously though, you are the best."

"No, you are _literally_ the best. The greatest person in the world. I'm just lucky to be with you, to be having your child." Asami's face quite literally glowed with pride. "The luckiest woman of all the tribes."

That earned a blush from her partner. "You say that, but…you've been put in danger because of that. And I've been thinking about that tonight, you know? And so…I thought, maybe we ought to go out of town for a while. Let's take a sky bison to the South Pole. I know for a fact that my family will be happy to put us up, no matter what, and… well, there really are few places more socially liberal than the South Pole. We can get away from the press for a while and just… and just be. And you can have our baby in peace."

"Leave? Now?! In the middle of the over-street construction?" However, the plan was immensely appealing in light of recent events. "Well… I suppose I can leave Varrick in charge of most of the details. But I'd feel so guilty doing it a mere month after we just returned..."

"You deserve to get away," Korra urged her gently. "And… I really, _really_ want you and our baby to be somewhere safe. As long as all the blueprints are finished, and everyone else knows that Varrick has strict instructions not to deviate from them, everything will be fine while we're gone."

Deflating slightly into the water, Asami nodded. "You're right, I know you are. And I would have to take maternity leave in a week or so regardless." Smiling up at Korra, she added, "It isn't that the thought of taking some time off in the South isn't appealing, because it is, I'm just… you do understand how important Future Industries is to me, don't you? It's hard for me, making these kinds of decisions."

"I do understand," replied Korra, nodding reassuringly as she pet along Asami's back. "It's your life's work, and your father's legacy. That's why I'm willing to be the… staying-home parent. You know what I mean? We'll both be in our son's life a lot, of course, but I figure you can go to work on Future Industries stuff and I'll stay with…"

Korra trailed off into silence, eyes widening with realization. "Oh… damn."

"What is it?" she asked in a gentle voice.

"Asami, what are we going to _name_ our son?"

~ _To Be Concluded_ ~

* * *

[PS: [Link to the _Bleeding For Eurydice_ campaign](https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/bleeding-for-eurydice-an-original-novel)]


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> CHAPTER WARNINGS: mile high club, pregnant sex, public sex (kind of), fingering, graphic childbirth.
> 
> NOTES: Well, it had to happen eventually; the final chapter of Book 5. It's almost more of an epilogue than a chapter, but it's not far enough in the future to call it an epilogue so, yeah.
> 
> This has been some journey. Even though there have definitely been worse update schedules than the one for this fic, I do feel a certain amount of guilt for dragging my feet on it. But of course, by now some of you know what other projects were in the works, such as "SEEK And Find" and Bleeding For Eurydice, which demanded a lot of my attention. There were also real-life things, which I won't get into; we all have that going on, don't we?
> 
> I'd like to thank Cartesian for being a great roleplay partner, as usual, and everybody who read this fic from beginning to end. Korrasami being canon was pretty pivotal, and it deserves all the attention it can get, even years afterward. I'll be diving into another fandom for my next fic (you'll see), and of course, my Indiegogo for Eurydice is still going strong if you want to check that out. Realistically, this will be my only Korrasami fic, but I hope you liked it!
> 
> Until we meet again,  
> Jessex

"That seems to be just about everything," Asami sighed as she hopped down from Meep's shaggy back. The flying bison had been saddled and prepared with all the essentials of travel, but Asami needed quite a few comfort objects and maternity items added into their luggage. It had taken some manoeuvring, but luckily there would only be the two of them travelling instead of the eight or so that the saddle could normally accommodate.

Korra helped Asami slide down the bison's soft, fluffy tail. "I figured it wouldn't all fit in the saddle bags," she said with a shrug. "But we still have plenty of room."

"Meep won't want to fly back once you reach the South Pole," said Ikki, double-checking that all the saddlebags were secure. "She doesn't like flying alone. But Grandma knows how to take care of flying bison, so you shouldn't have a problem."

Laying her hand gently atop Ikki's head, Asami beamed down at her and said, "Thanks. I did wonder where we were going to keep a sky bison once we got there."

"No worries," Pema added as she and Tenzin joined the children and the two about to depart. "Really, my mother-in-law is as good with them as any of us are. Now, you remember what I said about taking your vitamins, don't you?"

Asami couldn't help the wry smile that bloomed on her lips. "Of course. You've reminded me six times since we got to this island. Honestly, I'm fine."

"I don't know why you jumped down, we're just getting back in the saddle," Korra teased her. Turning to Tenzin and Pema, she said, "Thank you so much. I can't tell you how much I appreciate you being so helpful."

"It is always my honor to help and serve the Avatar," Tenzin said with a smile and a brief bow. He and Korra hugged, and then the Avatar turned to help Asami back onto the flying bison. Once they were situated comfortably, Korra said, "Yip-yip!" and Meep took off into the sky.

When they were far enough out over the bay that they couldn't see Republic City anymore, Korra left the reins and climbed back into the saddle with Asami.

"Doing okay?" she asked. "Is it soft enough back there?"

"It's plenty soft," she laughed. "Though I am a bit chilly. Can you hand me the parka we packed? I think it's up here in the saddle, not in the bags."

Korra looked around. "Ahh…the parkas are in the bags, but the blanket is up here." She pulled a big, thick quilt from their luggage and spread it over both of them, cuddling in close to help her lover keep warm. Korra placed her hand over their child, now just large enough to make Asami physically uncomfortable, and rubbed a slow circle on her belly. "We have another blanket, and enough food to last us a week. If we keep flying and only stop for Meep to rest, we ought to reach the South Pole in three or four days."

"Then it will be five days," Asami half-laughed ruefully, draping her own hand over Korra's. "You know how often I have to pee lately."

"Yeahhh," Korra admitted. "Probably five then." She kissed Asami's cheek, and was about to tease her a little about slowing them down, when she felt a hard thump underneath her hand. Her face lit up. "Ha! Did you feel that? Wow, he's so strong!"

"Gosh, did I! That's the first one I've been absolutely sure was a kick!" Laughing, she grinned over at Korra, showing more teeth than in many weeks. "He knows his mother-slash-father is nearby, I think."

"I think you're right," replied Korra. She disappeared beneath the blanket to rest her head on top of Asami's belly between her hands. "Hey, little guy," she whispered. "Daddy's here."

Now Asami was giggling for an entirely new reason; it looked silly with a Korra-shaped lump moving about underneath their quilt. "Apparently so." But instead of mocking her or telling her to get out, she simply began to thread her fingers through Korra's brown locks. They were beginning to get longer again, but she still wasn't putting them in the old Water Tribe style that she had worn it in when they first met.

"I can't wait to meet you," she whispered, sounding awestruck. She waited another moment before deciding the baby wasn't going to give them a repeat performance. So instead she sat up and kissed Asami on the lips. "You know, I'm actually really glad Katara's going to deliver our baby. She's like…one of the best midwives ever, and very in touch with Spiritual stuff."

"She does come highly recommended from the only source I care about." Another kiss, this one lasting longer than the first. No matter how many times she encountered Korra's mouth, each time was like a new experience, full of wonder and delight.

Korra hummed happily against Asami's lips as they kissed, then pulled her into an enveloping embrace. "I know she'll take good care of you, and our baby. That's all _I_ care about right now."

"Agreed." However, it appeared Asami was not quite through ravishing Korra's lips. The lengths her Avatar would go through to protect her and their son had made her quite amorous since the epic rescue. It didn't always lead past a few kisses and idle pawings, but those were ever present now. Korra laughed against Asami's lips and kissed her back enthusiastically.

"Feeling frisky, hmm?" she teased. "You're insatiable." Korra let her hand slide down her lover's belly and cupped the union of her legs through her clothes. "Not that I'm complaining…"

Sighing as her thighs parted, she looped her arm around Korra's shoulders. "The healers were right about my 'needs' increasing after the first half of pregnancy. I just didn't expect that to be real, it s- ooh... it sounded like a silly myth!"

Still laughing, Korra pulled her lover into her arms and kissed her jaw and neck. The parted thighs made way for her eager hand, and she continued rubbing through the layers of clothing. "I think it's safe to say it's not a myth. Honestly, I could get used to this." The teasing hand moved back up her round belly, and Korra couldn't hold back a soft groan. "You are so sexy…"

"Korra, you're hopeless," Asami grunted, half in pleasure and half in exasperation. "You do realise you sound more turned on when touching my stomach than touching my actual sex organ, don't you?"

"Agh… sorry!" Korra flushed with embarrassment and returned to teasing as she had before. She gently parted the folds of the Air Temple robes and let her fingers dart across Asami's thigh. "I know it's weird, we've been over it. I just—you—I really like how you look with my baby inside you!" She kissed her on the lips again with gentle passion, tugging at the hem of her lacy underwear.

They had been over it before. In fact, most of the discussion had followed one night when Korra had literally climaxed just while caressing her belly, which had been a bit too outside Asami's comfort zone. However, in the time since that night, she had come to accept that Korra simply really enjoyed that proof of their love to an unheard of degree.

"Mmmhh, Korra," she sighed as the fingers began to slide underneath the lace. "Just... yeah, just a quick one? Sorry it's s-such a random time to do this — in the middle of the sky, no less!"

"I think up in the sky is the perfect place!" Korra teased. "Nobody's going to bother us… and Meep certainly doesn't care." She placed a slow, lingering kiss on Asami's throat, and her fingers nudged back the hood above her swollen clit. "Mmmm… I love finding you wet and ready for me." Right away she began stroking the sensitive nub, knowing her lover wasn't in the mood to be denied.

This was the loudest moan yet; Asami's voice was rich and full of enjoyment as she called out Korra's name, back arching slightly as she was worked upon. Only those magical fingers could sate the hunger she felt in her loins, could soothe her aching flesh. Her thighs twitched, and she growled, "I'd put my leg over your shoulder if I w-wasn't so fat!"

"Hush, you aren't fat," whispered Korra, kissing lower down Asami's neck and nudging her thighs further apart. "You're carrying our child." Her fingers worked a little more firmly, dipping into the wetness below and spreading it across her clit. "Heh… I almost want to put another one in you after this… how about _then_ I can put your leg over my shoulder?"

"Another… wh-what?" Both of Asami's eyes shot wide open. "Another CHILD?!" It was hard for her to sound as scandalised as she felt with the finger working so earnestly to send her into an orgasm, and she felt her hips twitching from side to side in anticipation of more. "W-we haven't even finished with _this_ one!"

"I'm just looking forward," Korra chuckled. Without warning, she slid two fingers inside her lover and located her sensitive spot with ease, curling her fingers up with each slow, gentle thrust. "I'd really hate to never get to see you like this again."

The moan soaked with urgency that poured into the cold air at their altitude was high and quavering, and proved to Korra that her wife was not at all regretful of their current situation. "M-maybe… we can work something out! _Korra!"_

Already, her walls were beginning to tug at the two fingers slightly, trying to keep them inside of her as they prodded her exactly where she wished to be prodded. Korra gave a low, growling moan and nibbled at Asami's throat as she felt flesh flutter around her fingers.

"I'm sure we will…" Without slowing her thrusts, she added firm strokes of her thumb across her throbbing clit. "Mmmm… Spirits, I can feel how close you are! Come for me, sweetheart…"

"FUCK! How c-can you do this so easily? Are you sure you haven't been Bloodbending?! Because I f- OH! Oh Korra, _yes!_ Right there, _riiiight_ there!"

"I don't need Bloodbending to make you scream for me, Asami," Korra reminded her smugly. She curled her fingers sharply up and whipped her thumb rapidly over her lover's clit. Meanwhile, her teeth nipped and teased carefully around her throat. "That's right, let me hear you…"

"KORRA! _NnnhhHFF!_ It's so... I love you SO much! AAAAIIIYYHHHH!"

Korra watched awestruck as her lover bucked and writhed against her hand. It didn't take long for Asami to wade through the aftershocks of the magnificent orgasm Korra had served to her with such minimal effort, but it did leave her quite winded. Lying there beneath the quilt, she smiled up at her love as she did her best to catch her breath. She didn't stop stroking until Asami's body was entirely limp in her arms, and then she held her close, peppering her face all over with small kisses.

"I love you too… I love you so, so much."

"This," Asami panted weakly, "is about... the only thing... better than your footrubs." Her hands came up to thread through hair and clutch her to her. "I'm so happy it's you I'm spending my life with."

~ o ~

Six days later, longer than Korra or Asami had predicted, they landed in the South Pole a few minutes after midnight. They had expected to not have any welcome, but Katara was there to greet them, as though she'd sensed their imminent arrival.

 _Actually, she probably did,_ Korra thought; it was scary how in-tune that old woman was with the world around her.

"Korra, Asami," Katara greeted them each with a warm hug. "It's wonderful to see you both. Tenzin sent word ahead that you were coming. Your parents are asleep, but they've set up your old room for the two of you."

Asami did her best to smile as she said, "Thank you, Lady Katara. It is a great honour, as always." But the smile was more of a grimace. She hadn't been feeling quite right the past few hours — and there had been a very mild spasm of pain as Korra lifted her down from Meep's saddle. Nothing worse than a pronounced menstrual cramp, but it still gave her mild concern.

Katara immediately spotted the wince of pain on Asami's face as she finished her greeting. "Is something the matter, Asami?" she asked, her voice stern. "Speak up, don't be shy. Are your pains beginning already?"

"No," she told her with no hesitation. It couldn't be; even for her accelerated gestation period, this was FAR too soon for those to be setting in. "It was just a little… twinge, nothing too bad. I'll be alright."

Katara raised a skeptical eyebrow, but she had a feeling the true nature of things would reveal itself soon. "Very well, then. I imagine you're quite ready to rest!" She turned and gestured in the direction of Korra's home.

"Hey," said Korra, putting her arm around Asami as they followed Katara. "Are you sure you're okay?"

"I told you, I'm f- oh," she gasped in the middle of the word, one hand pressing into her stomach while the other gripped Korra's hand tightly. "Okay, that was a bit more of a… something. I've never felt anything like that before!"

"You're not okay!" Korra cried fearfully. "Asami!"

Katara was by Asami's side in a flash. She placed a mittened hand over her round belly for just a second before saying, "Just as I thought. Your labor is starting. Come on, let's get you to the healing tent."

"But no, it's too early! I can't be! NNnhhh!"

Then Asami could protest no more. One of Katara's assistants was already leading her to the tent, with Korra on one side and Tenzin's mother on the other, saying things they hoped would soothe her growing worries.

When the flap was thrown aside, it was revealed that she would be giving birth in the traditional Water Tribe fashion; in a pool of water. Sometimes, those from the Earth Kingdom would also use this method, as did Aang's descendants, but the Fire Nation was strongly set against it, believing it to be "dangerous". At this point, however, they could have announced they were filming the birthing for an upcoming mover and Asami wouldn't have cared in the slightest.

"Don't worry, dear," Katara soothed softly as they entered the tent. "It may be early, but the child is strong. Just undress and make yourself comfortable in the water… and Korra, you too, I need you to be right behind her."

Still wearing her own clothes, Korra helped Asami strip and lowered her down into the warm water. She sat against the pool's edge and let Asami lean back against her chest.

"Sorry!" At Katara's mildly curious look, focused as she was on the task at hand, Asami elaborated, "That you have to see me like this, and- _Nnhhgg!_ And we only just landed! It's not very civ- very civilised!"

"Don't worry yourself about that," Katara replied soothingly. "Just breathe deeply and try to relax. This part is the longest. All you can do for now is stay calm and prepare yourself for the pain."

"When you say it's the longest," Korra asked as she began to finally shed her own jacket. "How…?"

"Oh, sometimes quite long," replied Katara. "Especially for first-time mothers."

And much to Asami's regret, she turned out to be correct. The three of them remained in the pool for what felt like many hours, breathing as the contractions came and went, resting in between. A few of Katara's acolytes brought them tea, eventually even other nourishment for Korra.

"I'm so glad you... are here to help me with this," Asami confided in Korra after yet another moment of blinding pain and body-wide discomfort had passed. "Of course, I would trust this Healer with my life, but you _are_ my life."

"There's nowhere else I could possibly think of being right now," whispered Korra, kissing Asami's head as she squeezed her hand through another contraction. "I wouldn't miss this to save the world."

Katara's eyes flashed momentarily with something like sadness, and Korra looked at her curiously. "Forgive me," she said softly. "I once heard my Avatar say the same thing to me." She gave Korra smile and a nod. "And Asami, you're doing wonderfully. You're almost there. When one contraction begins rolling into the next, you'll know it's time to push. But until then, just keep breathing."

She nodded in acknowledgment — and almost as quickly was suddenly grunting and straining anew, legs thrashing slightly in the water. Doing her best to keep breathing, she gripped Korra's hand harder than ever, much harder than she ever had gripped anything in her life. Maybe the time really was at hand.

Korra winced as Asami's grip made her knuckles pop and turn white. "Ah-AHH! Spirits, Asami, are you okay?"

"Deep breaths now," said Katara. "Deep and slow." She knelt down into the water in her clothes and moved Asami's legs into position. "It's nearly time, now. When you feel the urge to push, bear down with all your might."

"Okay," Asami grunted, feeling the small form shifting inside of her, readying to emerge for the first time. It seemed like too great a task, too difficult. If only Korra were the one carrying the child — she was stronger, she could withstand anything!

However, it was not to be. She had been the one to accept the Spirit-created seed, and she would be the one to birth their son. Therefore, when some unconscious knowledge told her that she needed to bear down, she did, grunting loudly, then gasping once she could no longer.

"It's too much!" she gasped at her two aides. "I'm… not going to… I can't!"

"Yes, you can," Katara said, gently but firmly. "And you will. I know it feels impossible the first time, but I assure you, the strength lies within!"

"You can do this," Korra murmured in agreement, stroking Asami's hair with a worried frown. She wished that she could bear this pain for her love, or somehow make it easier. "I know you can!"

Once again, Katara nodded almost imperceptibly towards Korra in recognition. "Now take a deep breath and try again. Deep breath, and… push!"

Two breaths went in and then out before Asami drew the largest one yet. Glancing between them, she looked back down to the roundness between her and her thighs before closing both eyes tightly, biting her lip, and pushing with all of her might.

It shifted! Barely so, but she felt him shift, felt her child move downward. Her body had already stretched in ways she couldn't believe it was capable of handling, and now it was yielding yet more, preparing the way for Korra's progeny.

Korra held her breath as Asami pushed, releasing the breath right along with her. "Good job, sweetie," she whispered. "You're doing great!"

"You are," agreed Katara. "Just keep breathing, and focus on that alone. Your breath is the key to all your strength, and especially in this. Now… when you've caught your breath, push again."

"It's… tearing me… apart! Korra, how could you _do this to me?!"_ As soon as she said it, she regretted the words, and she weakly shook Korra's hand back and forth with her own. "I'm sorry, I just… this hurts, he feels so much bigger than he must be!"

"I'm sorry!" Korra stammered sincerely. "I'm so, so sorry, I—"

"Hush now," Katara soothed. "Be calm, both of you. Asami, I know it hurts, but everything is going well. You're doing wonderfully. Come now, again… push!"

Nodding again, Asami growled very quietly before giving one last push — that turned into another three pushes in quick succession after the first one. Finally, very vaguely, she sensed the mass had moved from inside of her to the brink of emergence.

"It's... COMINGGGGGGGGHH!"

"And that's the head beginning to crown," said Katara. "You're doing so well, Asami. Now just rest and breathe for a moment, nice and steady…"

"You're doing great!" Korra whispered, gently squeezing her lover's hands. "Almost there, see? You're almost done!"

"Yes, very nearly," Katara agreed again. She leaned down, ready to catch the crowning infant. "I believe if you bear down with all your might and keep pushing, like you did just before, you can be finished soon. Once his head and shoulders are free, it's over. Get ready to push, and… now!"

Three quick and powerful gusts of air, and then Asami gripped Korra's hand harder than before as she pushed with all her might, trying to visualise channeling the strength and power of her partner into that one moment of supreme clenching.

And it paid off. Though her entire lower area was partially numb where it wasn't in searing pain by now, she could distinctly feel everything shifting aside as the child emerged into the water.

Katara caught the child with expert hands and carefully cradled him beneath the water for a moment, quickly cleaning away most of the blood and caul from his little body. Then she lifted him above the water, and with no more than a gentle pat on the back, he coughed and sputtered a bit and began to cry.

"A strong, healthy little boy," Katara said with a smile. Right away, she laid the child face-down upon his mother's breast. "Here… hold him. He'll be hungry—that was as exhausting for him as it was for you!"

Korra peered in proud wonder over Asami's shoulder at the little baby wriggling in her arms. His skin was like Korra's, but his hair was dark and silky like his mother's, and there was already a big patch of it right on the top of his head. "Asami, he's—oh, he's perfect!"

"He is," Asami said in a drained, weary voice, one still laced with memories of the pain it had been through moments before. However, there was too much love underneath that for it to be overly depressing. "My little Hiroshi." Her eyes turned up to Korra's as the boy's mouth began to search for his mother's teat. "Is… is that name alright with you? I know we never said for certain..."

"Of course," replied Korra. She had been uncertain about the name at first, but she hadn't settled on anything she liked better to suggest; and the more she thought about it, the more she wanted Asami to have this. This little boy was her father's legacy in addition to Korra's, and Asami deserved to name him as such. "Hiroshi."

After showing Asami how to support her child's head in her elbow and guiding him to her breast, Katara placed her hands on the new mother's belly and massaged gently along both sides. "One more push, dear, for the afterbirth… and then I'll cut the cord and leave you two alone with your little one. You can use the second pool here to relax and enjoy his first moments."

In all the haste of their sudden need for this birthing room, Asami had missed that there even was a second pool. Obeying Katara's sage and experienced advice, she forced the remnants that had been needed to sustain Hiroshi until this day out and away from herself. Then Katara and Korra both helped her move to the secondary pool.

"Ohhhh," she groaned as the baby was handed back to her again. "That's better, I… is the water warmer, or did I just get cold while out of it?"

"A little of both," replied Katara, as she climbed out of the water and moved toward the door. "I'll leave you three alone; nobody will disturb you until you come out or call for an aide. I'm sure the water will be warm and comfortable as long as you wish it, Avatar Korra."

"Thank you, Master Katara," said Korra. While still in the pool she put her palm and fist together and gave a little bow to her former _sifu_. But when she looked back up, Katara had left.

"Look at him," Asami bade Korra, contented and aglow now that all the messier business had been taken care of. "There's not a thing unnatural about him… those terrible people in Republic City. Take one good look at Hiroshi and you know he's just another human. Well, a beautiful one, but no less human because of that."

Korra wrapped one arm around Asami's shoulders, placing her other hand gently on Hiroshi's little back. His skin was the softest, smoothest thing Korra had ever felt. "He is beautiful," she agreed. "And Republic City be damned! He's the most perfect, most wonderful thing in the whole world!"

As if on cue, Hiroshi took a deep breath and gave a tiny, delicate sneeze… which caused a circle of water to jump around his parents as though a rock had been dropped into the water.

"And he's a Waterbender!" Korra exclaimed excitedly. "Ohhhh man! Asami, this is great!"

"Yeah, great," Asami sighed wearily, though she was smiling. "I'm really looking forward to chasing a Bender around my house." Then she stroked her fingernails through her son's tiny tuft of hair. "I actually wish I was being sarcastic, but… somehow, I know I'm not. That sounds like a great life."

"I already know he'll be a fantastic Bender," Korra said with mock-confidence. "He is my son!" She kissed Asami's cheek and gazed contentedly at their baby, who seemed to have satisfied his hunger and was now drifting off to sleep. "Can I... can I hold him?"

"Of course." There was no hesitation; Hiroshi had already unlatched from her bosom, and therefore she handed him upward to her mother-father with a nearly-grateful smile.

Korra gasped immediately when she felt how light and delicate the little baby was in her arms. He stirred a little as Korra figured out how to hold up his head. Then he made a gurgling noise and opened his eyes. "Oh… Asami, his eyes! Look at his eyes! They're so pretty..."

"Let me see!" Asami begged, leaning over as far as possible. Sure enough, the boy had glittering aquamarine eyes, just the hue that a combination of hers and Korra's should be. It was breathtaking.

"Asami," she whispered, feeling tears welling in her eyes as she gazed at their perfect little son. "Whatever happens from here on out, I'm so glad that we get to share this… that our little boy is here. He's… oh, Spirits, he's so tiny and..." She couldn't keep the tears from rolling down her cheeks.

Sensing that Korra was overwhelmed, somehow more than she herself was, she leaned as close as possible and slid an arm around her back as they both supported Hiroshi's negligible weight, the warm water swirling around their bodies. Their own little newly-formed family.

"And he's ours. That's the most important thing." Leaning up, Asami's lips ghosted over Korra's very briefly. "To me, you and he are everything."

_~ The End ~_


End file.
